The Rise, Fall and Rediscovery of Hemp

Before we get started, let’s get some terminology ironed out. Firstly, a common misconception which is important to clarify is that hemp is not marijuana and vice versa. Both of these are in fact varieties of the same species, Cannabis sativa. The difference lies in the levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) of each plant. THC is the psycho-active component- that makes people feel “high”; marijuana has high levels of THC whereas hemp has less than 0.3%. This distinction is important; marijuana can be used for recreational drug use but hemp cannot. 

The History of Hemp

Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth with a multitude of uses. Unfortunately, development of hemp products has been hindered by historical political agendas which have continued into today. However, popularity in the plant is once again growing and we are rediscovering what it has to offer…

Hemp fabric first appeared around 10,000 years ago, with remnants found dating back to 8,000 BC. It has a long history in China where it has been around for about 6,000 years. Hemp is believed to be the first material used in clothing and is actually much stronger than cotton (62% stronger). Ancient Chinese emperor, Shen Nung is said to have taught citizens how to weave hemp after recognising its value. This is said to have led to the creation of the first sheet of paper in 150 BC, made using hemp. Eventually, by 800 BC, trade brought hemp to Europe, boosting the global trade by providing a strong new material. Ship’s sails and rope were made from hemp, which proved very strong and resistant to salt, and onboard, traders would carry hemp seeds in case they landed somewhere unknown. It is said that hemp made Christopher Columbus’ trip to discover America possible. The UK was growing vast amounts of hemp, with farmers required to hit a yearly quota.

Up until the 18th century, it’s estimated that 80% of the world was wearing clothing made from hemp. Although cotton had been used in some regions of the world for thousands of years, its popularity in Europe grew much later and became favoured above hemp as it was less laborious to convert to fabric. 

The final nail in the coffin for global hemp use was the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act, and later, the banning of the plant in 1961. 

The 1937 Marihuana Tax Act didn’t ban hemp as such, but applied such a high tax that it was no longer economically viable for farmers to grow. Remember back to the beginning where we spoke about the different properties of hemp and marijuana, even though they are the same species? Well, unfortunately, hemp and marijuana were lumped together as dangerous recreational drugs by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, which set the course for the better half of a century. This Act has been associated with racism towards minority groups, and corruption as it was found that the Bureau was desperate for funding after the end of the alcohol prohibition and was close to being shut down. The lead man, Harry Anslinger, began a campaign of misinformation against marijuana, a plant many Americans were unaware of. This allowed him to portray it as a dangerous recreational drug, and something to be prohibited. He failed to educate on its beneficial properties such as its use in clothing and medicine and so knowledge and understanding in the public was lost, and something that had been used for thousands of years was demonised. To make matters worse, Anslinger directed attention towards minorities in America, likely because of Mexicans immigrating to America, and bringing their cultural practises with them, one of which was the use of marijuana.This association lead to xenophobia, and was later also directed towards African Americans. This is believed to have come about through links with jazz music. The Great Depression only served to fuel this racism as blame was directed towards minority groups and drug use. 

Ironically, this campaign meant more exposure of marijuana in headlines and resulted in increased widespread use of the drug, but unfortunately the useful properties were forgotten about. Even more ironic, the US actually encouraged farmers to grow hemp during the war in 1941 as their stockpiles ran out! 

In 1961, the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs made cannabis illegal in most countries, and by this point, hemp and cannabis had become indistinguishable within law. The US then listed it as a Schedule 1 drug, in the same category as heroin and LSD. Many countries then followed suit preventing any research and development of cannabis. 

It’s not all doom and gloom though! Cannabis started to make a comeback.

In 1971, the UK allowed the cultivation of hemp for reasons other than recreational drug use. Although it took a bit longer, the US also began relaxing sanctions on growing hemp in 2007 and by 2018, approved cannabis for use in medicine. After almost a century of governments condemning the plant, research and development of cannabis can continue where it left off and discover its full potential. 

Today, hemp is grown across Europe on more than 33,000 ha, with France cultivating the most. Globally, China leads on hemp production - after all, they do have 10,000 years of experience!

Currently, hemp has over 50,000 uses that can be categorised into textiles, industrial, paper, food, building materials and body care. In the 1980s, a new method of softening hemp was discovered, allowing it to be more comfortable when worn. 

Cutting edge research has found effective medicines from cannabis that aim to treat an extensive list of medical problems such as Alzeihmer’s Disease, cancer and mental health disorders. This remarkable crop can now be rediscovered and further developed and refined for a multitude of uses.

Medical uses of cannabis: Cancer treatment

Unfortunately, the criminalisation of cannabis as a whole not only prevented development of hemp fabric, but also meant that existing knowledge and further research into medical uses was blocked. In recent years, there have been some studies carried out on how cannabis can be used in medicine. Often, when talking about medical cannabis, people automatically think of smoking marijuana (THC) and CBD can be overlooked. Yes, smoking marijuana is in some countries approved as medicine, but there is much more to this plant. *DISCLAIMER* it is illegal to possess marijuana which is a Class B drug, this blog does not recommend or encourage its use. 

At present the main treatments derived from cannabis are for pain relief, to reduce anxiety, seizure control in epilepsy, and muscle relaxation in multiple sclerosis; further research is being conducted for irritable bowel syndrome & inflammatory bowel disease and a new and exciting branch of research has found that it could be used in the fight against cancer. 

It is too soon to make claims about cannabis and cancer, but early research is promising although more understanding is needed before it can be conclusive.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of around 540 chemical compounds found in cannabis and more highly concentrated in hemp. The research is still very new and developing (obviously because it was illegal until a couple of years ago!) but there are a handful of studies that suggest CBD can reduce tumour growth by inhibiting cell growth, replication and cell migration. At the time of writing, this has only been conducted in a test tube and is by no means conclusive. There are currently no FDA approved CBD cancer treatments.

** DISCLAIMER ** CBD can affect different people in different ways, some of which can be negative. Always consult a doctor before trying new medicines. 

Although cancer treatment and prevention with cannabis are still in their early stages of research, something that is gaining popularity amongst cancer patients is the complementary use of cannabis:

• Increasing appetite, something patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy struggle with. 

• Reducing nausea, often caused by cancer treatments. 

• Anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects.

• Neuropathic Pain relief - or nerve pain, typically treated very poorly with current conventional pain relief.

To wrap up…

We specifically love hemp because it’s sustainable and easy to grow. It requires no fertilisers or pesticides and needs half as much water as cotton. Hemp is a carbon sink that is found to sequester more carbon per hectare than any forest or commercial crop. Once harvested, the entire plant is used for fibre production where CO2 remains locked in. It can grow virtually anywhere, replenishes soil and absorbs toxic materials. Not only that, but it is fully compostable after use!

Hemp has had a long, complicated history, but now as laws around this plant begin to loosen, we can begin to once again benefit from it and the products that come from it. Gekco chose to use this material in our refillable chalk balls, so not only can they be used more than once, when finished with they can be added to your compost pile.