Eliminating the Confusion

Eliminating the Confusion between Hemp and Marijuana

“Hemp/industrial hemp” and “marijuana” are two distinct varieties of the same plant species. “Hemp” is a fiber crop. “Marijuana” is a drug crop. However, these definitions have become confused in the last 60 years. Recently, a movement has begun to distinguish the terms again. It is important to understand the history of the usage of these terms in order to eliminate the confusion.

1600’s-1930’s
The word “hemp” has been in the English language for over 800 years. The word “marijuana” is only 100 years old. From the first settling of N. America until the 1030’s, “hemp” was the most common term for cannabis sativa fiber crops, Marijuana was never used to describe the hemp fiber crops which were grown for canvas, rope, fuel and paper. “Hemp” fiber crops were historically low THC and completely non-psychoactive.
1930’s-1940’s
In the 1930’s, the psychoactive variety of Cannabis sativa, imported from Mexico, became common in the southern U.S. It was called marijuana, a word popularized through the “Reefer Madness” campaign, to distinguish it from the hemp fiber crops (which no one smoked)
1937
The passage of the Marijuana Tax Act hopelessly confused the terms “hemp” and “marijuana”. For the first time, Congress defined these distinct varieties of Cannabis sativa as being the same. What had commonly been known has hem was now marijuana.
1950’s
In 1957 the last hemp fiber crop was harvested in the U.S. The word “hemp” dropped out of use, along with the crop.
1960’s
Marijuana use became popular among the counter-culture. The movement to legalize marijuana in the 60’s and 70’s did not use the word “:hemp” to describe marijuana.
1985
The word “hemp” resurfaced in the book “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” by Jack Herer. The book uncovered information that had been lost for almost 40 years about “hemp’s historical uses as a fiber crop and touted hemp as a solution to modern environmental problems. Because the book was targeted at a “marijuana” legalization audience, the modern “hemp”movement was formed within the existing “marijuana” movement. Since it was not widely known that “marijuana” must be legalized to allow uses of “hemp”
1989
The European Economic Community developed rules to govern hemp, defined registered seed varieties and methods for the testing of THC content (France and Spain had never stopped producing hemp).
1993-1994
England officially recognized the difference between hemp and marijuana and Canada allows hemp production.
1994
The Governor of Kentucky, seeing competition from Canada and Europe appointed a task force to study the commercial possibilities of hemp in his state.
1994-1995
Industrial Hemp Movement begins in the U.S. and begins using the word “industrial hemp”. The goal is to allow legitimate production of hemp fiber crops and explore the environmental as hemp as an alternative fiber, pulp and oil resources.
Jan. 1995
The Hemp Production Act in Colorado is the first to define hemp as distinct from marijuana, but the bill was killed in committee due to objections from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
Oct 1995
North American Industrial Hemp Council formed.
Jan.1996
Colorado and Vermont introduce “hemp” legislation. Both have had large support from law enforcement. A strong coalition of diverse organizations now support hemp:

  • AMERICAN FARM BUREAU (4.6 MILL.)
  • COLORADO FARM BUREAU
  • COLORADO DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
  • KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU
  • KENTUCKY HEMP GROWERS COOPERATIVE
  • WISCONSIN AGRIBUSINESS COUNCIL
  • INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY
  • BOLTON EMERSON AMERICAS
  • OREGON NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL
  • HEMP INDUSTRIES ASSN.(OVER 100 HEMP BUSINESSES)
  • NORTH AMERICAN HEMP COUNCIL

Reasons for support of growth of hemp in the U.S. include:

  1. Pulp and paper industries need alternative fiber sources to survive. A critical shortage of fiber has forced the industry to investigate hemp with promising research.
  2. Farmers need alternative crops to survive. Hemp also aerates the soil and chokes out weeds making it a good rotation crop, while returning nitrogen to the soil.
  3. Hemp could be a solution to many de-forestation and pollution problems.
  4. Hemp product industries want a domestic source of hemp. Last year over 300 businesses generated an estimated $60 million in revenue selling products made from imported hemp.