The Many Uses of Hemp
Industrial hemp- sometimes referred to as hemp- is the cannabis sativa L. plant when it contains 0.3% tetrahyrdocannabinol (THC) or less. Hemp belongs to the Cannabaceae family, containing over 270 species, and is often confused with cannabis plants that are used as a source of the drug marijuana. However, industrial hemp does not have any psychoactive properties and is identified as an agricultural crop. In this section you will find the history and plant anatomy of hemp includingantibacterial properties.
HISTORY
Hemp originated in Central Asia, and was cultivated as early as2800 BCE. Making it's way through Europe in the Middle Ages and North America in the early 16th century, settlers often used hemp for rope, textiles, and oil applications. In the early 20th century, hemp was widely used for paper and textiles. In 1937, the United States Government passed the Marihuana Tax Act, criminalizing marijuana and any plant in the cannabis plant family. Despite this, the bill was temporary lifted and government urged farmers to grow hemp to aid during the second World War.For the next 60 years, hemp was considered an illegal crop in North America. In 1998, the Canadian Government passed the cultivation of industrial hemp and in 2018, the US Farm Bill was passed making hemp federally legal in the United States once again.
