The 2018 Farm Bill brought significant change by legalizing the farming of hemp. Hemp had previously been illegal since 1937 because of its relation to cannabis. The difference between hemp and cannabis is the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp plants farmed in the United States must have a THC content of less than 0.3%.
Originally, hemp farming was encouraged by the United States government to produce things like rope and clothing in the 17th century. In the 19th century, cannabis was used as medicine and sold in pharmacies.
It wasn’t until the Mexican Revolution of 1910 that there was an influx of Mexican immigrants who used marijuana recreationally. The word marijuana didn’t exist in America before this because it is a Spanish word. An alternate spelling, marihuana, was coined to reinforce anti-Mexican sentiment. Many people began to have a prejudice against Mexicans, resulting in prejudice against marijuana.
A propaganda film about drugs called “Reefer Madness” came out in 1936 in an effort to discourage people’s usage of cannabis. “One of the best marketing smear campaigns ever has been against cannabis. For 70 years, people were told that cannabis was as dangerous as heroin. Now just a few years ago, we try to tell people that hemp is okay as long as the THC is low enough,” said Holly Bell, the Florida director of cannabis. She recognizes a gap that needs to be bridged for many people when it comes to cannabis of any kind.
By 1937 Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act, criminalizing recreational use. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 categorized marijuana as a schedule one drug, the most restrictive level. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defines a schedule one drug as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
The history of cannabis laws reveals why hemp has had such a stigma. Cannabis has been demonized for decades. Because of this, hemp has a hard time reentering society as a product.
Bell said, “There’s a stigma, and it’s from 70 years of telling people they need to have one.”
“It starts with education,” said Jammie Treadwell. Treadwell owns a Florida hemp company with her family, who has been in the agriculture business for over 100 years. She said, “The stigma is because of a lack of information. I think that the general consumer in Florida doesn’t understand hemp. It’s unfortunate because if this plant didn’t have all this baggage, we’d be calling it a superfood, an environmental wonder.”
Hemp has been used as medicine because of cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis and is derived directly from hemp. Research shows that there are cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system. CBD oil can help with epilepsy, anxiety, pain, Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease, and many other conditions.
Hemp is also a food source of protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It is not a dangerous substance but a beneficial and nutritious ingredient.
“One of the things I think is really interesting about hemp, and just cannabis in general is that it’s been driven by the people. People are experiencing benefits, and they’re asking for these products,” said Treadwell. Treadwell Farms grows hemp plants and sells CBD products. Treadwell said, “It’s about people finding a product that works for them and then advocating for it.”
Hemp fiber is used to make an endless amount of goods from textiles to paper, plastic substitutes, drywall and even concrete. One acre of hemp produces up to three times more than one acre of cotton. Cotton requires more water and resources, resulting in an enormous environmental impact. Hemp is more durable and can be recycled more times than other materials. It does not require chemicals and leaves the soil richer for future crops. Treadwell said, “We can create products that are biodegradable, and when we’re growing hemp, the inputs are good for the environment.”
Hemp is better for the environment, makes better materials, produces effective medicine and is overall a more profitable crop than cotton. It grows in a variety of climates, it has an efficient root system that prohibits weeds, its fiber can replace the need to cut down forests for wood, and the medicinal properties have little to no side effects. “This isn’t something to be scared of. It’s a plant just like any other plant that we can grow for different purposes,” Treadwell said. “If consumers will look for and actively ask retailers for fresh from Florida products, it will help farmers grow more hemp in Florida.”
Hemp and whole cannabis products still have a long way to go in dissolving the historical stigma, but hemp could change this earth and people’s lives for the better if it is used to its potential.
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