Cannabis History

  • Hemp Processing History: Rise and Fall of U.S. Mills

    Hemp Processing History: Rise and Fall of U.S. Mills

    Executive Summary For much of American history, industrial hemp depended on more than farmland alone. The crop required a network of regional mills, decorticators, transportation systems, labor infrastructure, and manufacturing buyers capable of converting raw hemp stalks into usable industrial materials. This hemp processing history is tied not only to agriculture, but also to the…

  • The Complete History of Hemp in the United States

    The Complete History of Hemp in the United States

    Executive Summary The history of hemp in the United States reflects a series of distinct legal and economic phases rather than a single continuous policy.Hemp began as an agricultural fiber crop in the colonial period, expanded during early industrial development, declined in the late 1800s, and became subject to federal regulation under the Marihuana Tax Act…

  • Why Was Hemp Made Illegal: Exposing the Hidden Forces Behind the Ban

    Why Was Hemp Made Illegal: Exposing the Hidden Forces Behind the Ban

    Introduction Why Was Hemp Made Illegal in 1937? What the Law Actually Says Hemp was not banned because of what it is — it was restricted because of how it was classified. Throughout the 20th century, U.S. drug policy failed to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. As a result, a non-psychoactive agricultural crop became tied…