Hemp in the New World

The text explores the extensive history of hemp in the Americas, tracing its introduction via the transatlantic slave trade and subsequent cultivation for fiber. It highlights hemp’s crucial role in shipbuilding and colonial economies, contrasting its widespread use with the later discovery and utilization of its psychoactive properties (cannabis/marijuana). The narrative emphasizes hemp’s importance to the American Revolution, from paper production to clothing the army, and its eventual decline as a major crop. Finally, the text examines the plant’s medicinal uses, both historically and in light of modern scientific understanding of its diverse chemical compounds.