During World War II, the U.S. government launched the "Hemp for Victory" campaign to encourage farmers to grow hemp for military and industrial use.
1. Why Hemp Was Needed- Before WWII, the U.S. relied on imported hemp from countries like the Philippines for making rope, parachutes, uniforms, and ship rigging.
- When Japan cut off supplies in the Pacific, the U.S. turned to domestic hemp production to support the war effort.
- In 1942, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a documentary titled "Hemp for Victory" to promote hemp farming.
- The government distributed hemp seeds and provided tax incentives to farmers willing to cultivate it.
- Farmers were required to attend training sessions on how to grow and process hemp efficiently.
- By 1943, U.S. farmers were growing over 150,000 acres of hemp, particularly in Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
- The harvested hemp was turned into fiber, canvas, and other military materials used by American troops.
- After WWII ended, the U.S. halted hemp production, and restrictions on cannabis farming were reinstated under the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and later the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
- The U.S. government denied the existence of the "Hemp for Victory" campaign for decades until researchers uncovered it in the Library of Congress in the 1980s.
Today, with hemp legalized again under the 2018 Farm Bill, the U.S. is once again producing hemp for industrial and commercial uses, including textiles, biofuel, food, and CBD products.