Congress enacted the Farm Bill early last year, enabling a wide variety of federal agriculture initiatives.
A provision tucked away in that law granted states and colleges the opportunity to research a plant that has long been prohibited from growing in the United Kingdom – hemp.
With the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, hemp production was outlawed throughout the United States.
According to PBS NewsHour, the Drug Enforcement Administration has issued several dozen licenses to cultivate hemp in nine states.
Marijuana and hemp are cannabis cultivars that arose as a result of selective breeding: hemp for its fibre and marijuana for its psychoactive components.
While they have a similar appearance and scent, they are chemically and structurally distinct.
The main distinction between the two is the amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the molecule in marijuana that causes intoxication.
Hemp contains almost no THC, whereas marijuana contains roughly 10%; certain strains of marijuana can contain up to 27% THC.
FACT #1: Although hemp will not make you high, it may cause a headache.
THC, the molecule that causes euphoria, is present only.3 percent of hemp. If you eat hemp seeds with the expectation of getting high, you will not — and you may get a headache instead.
You may also feel as if you’ve taken a strong laxative since research has shown that hemp seed has considerable constipation-curing properties.
FAST #2: Hemp may have been used for the first time by the inhabitants of a tiny island off the coast of China.
Archaeologists discovered earthenware with imprints of cannabis cord while excavating a Stone Age Taiwanese settlement.
People in mainland China produced garments out of hemp during the Second Century B.C.
In the holy Confucian books known as the “Book of Rites,” hemp was described as a fabric for swaddling babies and covering the bodies of the deceased.
FACT #3: Hemp may be used to make everything from birdseed to ice cream
Hemp fibre has long been prized for its durability and adaptability.
According to the North American Industrial Hemp Council, hemp may be used to manufacture over 25,000 different goods, ranging from Bible paper pages to house building materials.
During the Viking era, fibres were utilized to construct rope, boat caulking, and sails. Canvas derives from the Greek ‘Kannabis’ and the Latin cannabis, meaning hemp.
According to historians, the original flags of the United States were fashioned of hemp fabric.
According to August 14, 1941, New York Times post, Henry Ford created a vehicle panel out of plastic produced from straw, pine, hemp, and ramie to assist farmers during the Great Depression.
And, since hemp oil permeates better than linseed oil, it has been used as a commercial lubricant.
Bruce Dietzen recently traveled from Florida to Colorado in a flaming red convertible made of hemp.
Dietzen based the corn-powered vehicle on Mazda’s sporty Miata.
FACT #4: Homeowners in North America were required to plant hemp in the 1600s.
Homeowners in North America were required to plant hemp in the 1600s.
According to Robert Deitch’s “Hemp: American History Revisited: The Plant with a Divided History,” King James I issued a royal order requiring every property owner in Jamestown to raise 100 plants of hemp for export in 1619.
The Virginia Company ran the Jamestown Colony, England’s first permanent settlement in North America..
The hemp was used to make baling twine and tapestry for British ships.
Hemp decrees of a similar nature were later issued in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
FACT #5: What is the connection between Woody Harrelson and Mitch McConnell?
As you might’ve guessed already, it’s a passion for hemp.
The former “Cheers” actor and current Senate majority leader, as well as Kentucky’s state senator, have been on separate but concurrent crusades to re-legalize hemp in the United States.
Harrelson was jailed in 1996 after planting four marijuana seedlings in rural Kentucky, according to CBS.
Marijuana possession charges were eventually dismissed and In 2010, he released the film “Hempsters: Plant the Seed.”
McConnell, who represents the state that began producing hemp in the 1770s and grew to become a significant producer, harvesting 15,000 tonnes per year in the 1840s to 40,000 tonnes per year by the 1850s, launched his hemp campaign in 2013.
FACT #6: A vitamin present in hemp seed is also detected in breast milk.
The oil in hemp seed is high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a healthy unsaturated fatty acid present in breast milk.
Hemp seed oil, in addition to GLA, contains additional omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, making it a healthier option than many other vegetable oils.
FACT #7: Abandoned Hemp Stalks can be utilized to store energy
According to the BBC, a team of scientists led by David Mitlin at the University of Alberta created a supercapacitor, an energy storage device, out of leftover hemp last year.
While supercapacitors hold less energy than conventional batteries, they may be charged in less time and deliver that energy more quickly.
According to Mitlin, these supercapacitors are ideal for applications that require a quick, powerful burst of energy, such as charging an iPhone in minutes for two hours of talk time.
