Our ancestors relied on cannabis (also known as hemp) for various uses, including medicine, food, and industry. As a hemp farmer himself, our first president provided free land to early American settlers in exchange for hemp cultivation. He recognized the importance of hemp to the development of the United States.
Hemp’s long history of widespread use came to an end in 1937, when the American Medical Association, fearing for the public’s health, banned the use of hemp as animal feed, even though the plant’s CBD and other health-promoting nutrients were essential to the meat, egg, and dairy industries.
Unfortunately, despite the AMA’s protests, the 1937 marijuana tax act was passed despite their opposition, thanks to intense lobbying by the wood, paper, oil/gas, pharmaceutical, and cotton industries, which saw hemp as their primary competitor. Unfortunately, this lobbying succeeded despite the AMA’s protests. As a result of this legislation, cannabis products became out of reach for most of the population, and a wave of chronic illnesses erupted.
Many harmful practices, such as deforestation, fracking, etc., became the norm in our society, leading to our current dependence on these resources.
If we want to continue to change the public perception of marijuana, we need to be well-versed in the facts, laws, and history of the plant itself.