Hemp is probably one of the most useful plants on this planet. It is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products such as paper, ropes, clothes, textiles, food, and structures. Henry Ford even created a car built almost completely our of Hemp. The car was fuelled by oil made of Hemp seeds…
Hemp is not a new invention, it has been widely cultivated by humanity for over 10,000 years. In Great Britain, hemp was cultivated 1000 years BC. In the 16th Century, Henry VIII encouraged his farmers to plant the crop extensively since it was needed in order to provide materials for the British Naval fleet. In fact, Hemp was so important for the Army, that a steady supply of hemp was demanded for use in the construction of battleships and their components.
In America, Hemp was widely cultivated when the early settlers arrived a couple of hundreds of years ago. In fact, the founding fathers themselves looked at Hemp as a vital part of the economy. George Washington is known for saying “Make the most of the Indian Hemp seed, and saw it everywhere!”. Thomas Jefferson even added to that by claiming that”Hemp is the first necessary thing for the wealth and protection of this country”
So, if Hemp is so important, why did it became illegal in the first place? What main powers are still pushing against it and which polluting industries are forcing us not to use this clean material?
