The Unfortunate Ban of Hemp in the US

For centuries, hemp had been cultivated in North America for its fibers used in the manufacture of rope and textiles. Unfortunately, it was eventually banned in the United States due to its relation to marijuana, a victim of the war on drugs. Economic competition with cotton, wood and synthetic plastics also played a role in the ban, as farmers lost access to hemp produced in the Philippines and were no longer able to grow large quantities with government subsidies. Conspiracy theorists believe that these industries financed disinformation campaigns to open a path for their new technologies to replace hemp.

Despite this fact, it's important to note that state agriculture departments and the USDA will continue to regulate hemp production. While marijuana and hemp have different chemical properties, they look and smell the same, making it difficult to differentiate between them without analyzing their THC content. Hearst and William DuPont were threatened by hemp because they had a strong interest in using wood to produce paper. The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970 placed hemp in the same category as marijuana, making it even more difficult to grow hemp.

The CSA did not directly ban hemp for industrial purposes, but instead required producers to obtain a permit from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the 1930s, new industries such as cotton, synthetic plastics, liquor and wood were able to replace hemp. The Hemp Industries Association has also mentioned this law as the principle of the prohibition of hemp, since it made it difficult for farmers to produce hemp. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees hemp cultivation as the responsible federal regulatory agency.

The rule reemphasizes a previous USDA ruling that interstate transportation is legal, even if the shipment goes through a state that does not allow hemp cultivation. Cosmetics and soaps made from hemp seed oil can now be found on store shelves. Hemp offers enormous economic value, but unfortunately there was nothing that could be done to overturn the 1937 judgment.

Ethel Sweetwood
Ethel Sweetwood

Unapologetic organizer. General twitter buff. Friendly social media expert. Infuriatingly humble coffee nerd. Proud tv nerd. Evil tv scholar.

Leave a Comment

All fileds with * are required