The truth about Hemp History is that prior to 1937, it was a common crop in the United States, and it was even used to make the first American flag.
Imagine a crop that is fast-growing, that can flourish in many different climates, and can be used to make thousands of products from textiles to medicine and building materials. It doesn’t need nearly as much fertilizer as corn, nor the amount of water that cotton needs, and on top of all that, it is a bigger cash crop for farmers than any other.
Sounds good doesn’t it? We’re talking about hemp. In the early pioneering days in the U.S., farmers nationwide grew it and the stalks and fibres were used to make paper, out-rig ships, ropes, clothing and textiles. Betsy Ross even sewed the first American flag out of hemp. If you look to the Far East, hemp has been used as far back as 6,000 B.C.
Despite the many uses of this miracle plant, it has been illegal to grow in the U.S. for about 80 years. In 1937 the federal government introduced the Marihuana Tax Act, which was the start of hemp’s decline. When marijuana became illegal, hemp got lumped in with it.
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