It’s safe to assume we agree that 2 things can be similar, even related, yet still completely different. So let’s at least get one thing straight: the similarity between hemp & marijuana is– at best– relatively comparable to bananas & plantains, frogs & toads, cement & concrete, butterflies & moths, tofu & panneer, emojis & emoticons. Savvy?
Honestly, my first few items of hemp clothing were purchased reluctantly out of desperation when I suddenly had to replace everything I owned that was made from corn- incorporated fabric. The various convoluted narratives encompassing the controversy overwhelmed me until the realization that hemp can’t even get you high suddenly influenced my perception of its legalization.
In 1619, King James I required all Jamestown property owners to grow hemp for export. During World War II, the U.S. Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers to grow it.
But then in 1937, Congress banned it, which is a shame. For one thing, hemp contains unsaturated fatty acid, gamma linolenic acid, (also found in breast milk) along with other omega 3s and 6s. For another, everything from clothing to supercapacitors can be made with hemp.
Besides its versatility and durability, hemp enriches the soil in which it grows and can even absorb certain toxins. Why would we not want this?? Let’s bring it back!
For further details, please consult the following:
(U.S.) National Hemp Association
George Washington’s Mount Vernon home
