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Christopher Columbus sailed to America on ships rigged with it. Numerous farmers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew it extensively in Colonial America. Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag out of it and the Declaration of Independence was written it. Believe it or not, Levi-Strauss constructed the first pair of jeans in California out it. What is 'it'? It is a plant called Cannabis Sativa. Cannabis, meaning 'useful' and Sativa, meaning 'hemp.' Hemp is the more common name for this plant and its fibers. It is a durable plant that has been used since pre-history for many purposes. In fact materials made from hemp have been discovered in tombs dating back to 8,000 B.C. It is completely evident that hemp has been a foundation in America for many years. But today, although consumers can buy materials made out of hemp if they look in the right places, it is illegal to grow it and is always imported to the United States from foreign countries. In fact, American business currently imports over $75,000,000 worth of hemp products annually. If these products were produced domestically, Missouri's farmers alone could earn $100-$500 per acre growing hemp. Many Americans seem to be uninformed of the actual facts about the cannabis sativa plant and why it is such a useful crop. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to present you, as the consumer and American citizen, with some strong arguments as to why the growing of hemp in America should be legal once again.
Hemp is grown in large fields much resembling green wheat fields. All parts of the plant are used: the seed, the stalk, and the leaves. It requires little fertilizer and resists pests on its own. Consequently, it costs less, requires less effort for upkeep, and prevents the use of many agricultural chemicals, which are dangerous and contaminate the environment. Hemp grows almost anywhere. It puts down deep roots, which is good for the soil. The leaves from the plant drop off returning the minerals and nitrogen to the soil. This makes the soil more fertile and easier to maintain a crop for many years. In fact, hemp has been known to grow on the same soil for twenty years in a row without any noticeable depletion of the soil.
Since 1937, about half of the world's forests have been cut down to make paper. If the growing of hemp had not been outlawed most would still be standing oxygenating the planet. The growing of the cannabis sativa plant was legal until the late 1930's. The main contributing factors to it becoming illegal occurred during the Great Depression. There was a popular movement called the Alcohol Prohibition, making alcohol sales illegal. At this time, crime got out of hand due to the fighting between various gangs and the Mob for control of the black market alcohol sales. A large force of police officers was formed to enforce this new law. After fighting a losing battle, the government decided to just give up and legalize alcohol once again.
After the Prohibition, the United States was left with nothing to show but a decade of political turmoil and a lot of unemployed police officers. It was about this time that the Federal Bureau of Dangerous Drugs (FBNDD) was reformed. The head of this Bureau was a man by the name of Harry J. Anslinger. The FBNDD, which is the organization that preceded the DEA, was responsible for enforcing the new federal laws against heroine, opium, cocaine, and many others.
At the same time as all this, Dupont Chemicals invented something called 'chemical pulping.' It was part of a multi-million dollar deal with a timber holding company and newspaper chain owned by William Randolph Hurst, a relative of Harry J. Anslinger. This deal would provide Hearst with a source of really cheap paper. Better quality hemp could provide four times as much pulp per ...