Hemp is commonly confused with marijuana. Hemp and marijuana both belong to the cannabis genus of plants. Marijuana contains high amounts of THC, the chemical that is responsible for its psychoactive properties.
There are different types of cannabis:
Industrial hemp is a variety of Sativa with trace amounts of THC. Unlike marijuana, hemp is easy to grow and does not require fertilizers or chemicals. Hemp has been used for centuries to make rope, sails, fabrics and industrial materials.
Why was hemp illegal?
Some blame the textile and paper processing lobbies and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who waged a campaign against hemp since it threatened his paper processing plants. In 2018 hemp was legalized. From the FDA:
‘In December of 2018, the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law. It removed hemp, defined as cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) and derivatives of cannabis with extremely low concentrations of the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis), from the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).’
Hemp is incredibly versatile, durable and sustainable. So what can be made from this amazing plant?