Hemp's problem is that, like marijuana, it contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical, albeit in much smaller doses than
marijuana, which impairs short-term memory and learning, the ability to focus attention, and coordination.
Marijuana also increases heart rate, can harm the lungs, and can increase the risk of psychosis in those with an underlying vulnerability.
The Marihuana (sic) Tax Act of 1937 effectively banned all varieties of the plant cannabis sativa, although farmers were temporarily exempted during wartime.
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 explicitly outlawed all cannabinoids.
But with two states decriminalizing the substance, can others be far behind, and with them the full-blown recovery of the
hemp industry?
