Cannabis history

Throughout history hemp has been utilized for various purposes for centuries, such as paper, fabrics, and medicinal products. It was one of the first plants used for fiber production and has been traced back to ancient civilizations in Northern China as early as ~ 8000-10,000 BC through pottery imprints of rope.

Hemp is a type of Cannabis sativa L. that grows tall and has sturdy fibers with high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD). Unlike marijuana, hemp plants do not contain significant levels of the psychoactive substance known as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Today, hemp is grown for multiple industries, including the production of textiles, oil from its seeds, and CBD products. The recent federal legislation excludes hemp (defined as all parts of the Cannabis sativa L. plant containing less than 0.3% THC) from the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This means that the hemp industry can now expand domestically and produce more hemp-based products in the U.S.

Hemp has played a significant role in human society for thousands of years and is known for its versatility and countless uses. Despite being tightly controlled and regulated in recent times, hemp remains an essential part of many industries.

Hemp has a rich history of use in human civilization, which dates back to 8,000 BC. Hemp has been a staple crop for so long because of its immense versatility and ease of cultivation. Let’s start from the beginning:

~8000 BC
The first traces of hemp are found in Asia. Soon after, hemp is found in Europe, Africa and South America, with hemp seeds and oil used for pottery and food.

2000 BC - 800 BC
The first traces of hemp are found in Asia. Soon after, hemp is found in Europe, Africa and South America, with hemp seeds and oil used for pottery and food.

600-200 BC
The use of hemp continues across northern Europe, with hemp rope found in southern Russia and Greece and hemp seeds and leaves found in Germany.

100 BC
China begins to use hemp to make paper.

1533
The King of England, King Henry VII, prioritizes hemp by fining farmers if they don’t grow it.

1606
North America discovers hemp as a key ingredient to make clothes, shoes, ropes, paper and food.

1700s
American farmers are required by law to grow hemp as a staple crop, with many of America’s founding fathers advocating for its benefits.

1776
Some believe that Thomas Jefferson wrote the draft of the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.

1840
Abraham Lincoln uses hemp seed oil to fuel his household lamps.

1916
USDA publishes findings that show hemp produces 4 times more paper per acre than trees.

Early 1900’s
Hemp becomes an excuse to search and deport Mexican immigrants. As a result, the word “marijuana” replaced “cannabis” as a way to directly associate the plant with the Mexican population.

1929
Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the United State’s Federal Bureau of Narcotics, who was previously on record stating that cannabis use was “not a big deal,” changes his position when the ban on alcohol is lifted and tells the public that cannabis is a “devil drug” that “turned men into wild beasts that would attack women.” Anslinger contacts thirty scientists requesting evidence that cannabis is dangerous, and twenty-nine say they can’t find any valid proof. Only one expert agrees with him.

1937
Many prominent American businessmen, including Anslinger, decide that cannabis, with no distinction between marijuana and hemp, poses a threat to their businesses. Anslinger joins forces with William Randolph Hearst, Andrew Mellon, and the DuPont family to draft the Marihuana Tax Act to begin taxing the plant. 1942 the U.S government realizes they need hemp for the war effort and encourages its production.

1942
Henry Ford builds an experimental car body made from hemp fiber, which is ten times stronger than steel.

1942-1945
The U.S. government releases a pro-hemp documentary called Hemp for Victory, encouraging farmers to grow hemp to support the war. The U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes hemp and publishes articles sharing its benefits, leading to over 400,000 acres of hemp planted throughout the Midwest and Southeast.

1957
The last U.S. commercial hemp fields are planted in Wisconsin.

1970
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, grouping the plant with heroin and LSD. Extracts from hemp get swept up into this definition, classifying CBD from hemp as a Schedule I substance.

1985
The U.S. Government approves a synthetic form of cannabis for the pharmaceutical industry. Marinol, made with a synthetic form of THC, is approved by the government as a legal drug to treat nausea and vomiting in cancer, HIV/AIDS, and anorexia patients. To this day, Marinol brings in more than $150 million in annual sales for the pharmaceutical industry in the United States.

1990s
The U.S. begins to import food-grade hemp seeds and oil for use

1999
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services successfully files a patent on cannabinoids

2004
A court case between the Hemp Industries Association and the DEA permanently protects the sales of seed-based hemp foods and personal care products in the U.S.

2007
The first hemp licenses in over 50 years are granted to two farmers in North Dakota.

2014
President Barack Obama signs the Farm Bill into law, allowing research institutions to start piloting hemp farming programs. The Farm Bill legally separates hemp from marijuana and legalizes the cultivation of  industrial hemp, defining industrial hemp as cannabis sativa L. plants 0.3 percent concentration of THC or less (the intoxicating cannabinoid).

2018
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves Epidiolex, a cannabidiol (CBD) oral medication.

The 2018 Farm Bill
affirms the 2014 Farm Bill and confirms the removal hemp and its derivatives from the Controlled Substances Act.

2018 Farm Bill: The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, defined in the U.S. as Cannabis sativa L. containing less than 0.3% THC, for cultivation in the U.S. It was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2018.

Cannabinoid: Cannabinoids are compounds found within cannabis plants that interact with the  endocannabinoid system. Researchers have identified many dozens of cannabinoids so far.

Cannabis: Cannabis is a  genus of plant that includes both hemp and marijuana. Three major species of cannabis have been identified: sativa, indica, and ruderalis.

CBD: Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants that interacts closely with THC. CBD is thought to offer potential benefits across the bodily systems governed by the endocannabinoid system.*

Endocannabinoid system: The endogenous cannabinoid system is a series of receptors found throughout mammalian brains and bodies. Cannabinoids bind to the receptors, known as  CB1 and CB2 receptors, to influence a wide range of bodily functions throughout the central nervous system and immune system.*

Hemp: Hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa L. containing 0.3% THC or less. It is generally high in CBD content and is thought to be useful for many applications.

Industrial hemp: Industrial hemp commonly refers to the stalks, leaves, and seeds of the hemp plant, rather than the cannabinoid-rich hemp flower . Industrial hemp is used for the creation of textiles, biofuels, construction materials, topicals, and more.

Marijuana: Marijuana is a variety of cannabis closely related to hemp that is legally defined in the U.S. as cannabis containing more than 0.3% THC content.

THC: THC is a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants responsible for causing the intoxicating qualities associated with consumption of the plant. Hemp plants contain 0.3% THC or less.