A Brief Look Back on How Beneficial the Passing of 2018 Hemp Farm Bill Really Was

A Brief Look Back on How Beneficial the Passing of 2018 Hemp Farm Bill Really Was

Posted by Vaporizer Chief on 7th Apr 2021

Who can forget December 20th, 2018, the day Senate passed their version of the Farm bill that included the complete legalization of hemp cultivation for commercial use? Penned by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and then officially signed off by former President Donald Trump, this bill states that hemp-derived products such as CBD should be sold, purchased, and used without legal repercussion.

For decades, our country's relationship with hemp has been anything but harmonious. However, with cannabidiol (CBD) becoming widely popular around the world, those who supported were pleased when it fully became legalized.

CBD products can be purchased online or in specialty shops. However, there is still a good percentage of the population that confuses hemp-derived CBD with marijuana, a mind-altering drug. For this reason, public opinion regarding the potential benefits of CBD isn't completely positive, even with the passing.

The History of Hemp in the United States

Back in 1937, public opinion regarding cannabis was at an all-time low. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was the result of anti-cannabis activists who wanted to make it incredibly difficult for Americans to grow, sell and obtain cannabis products. This law required that cannabis products be heavily taxed.

Once the law was repealed in 1970, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act in an effort to retaliate. According to the law, all cannabis products were illicit substances, meaning that any person who grew, sold, possessed, or consumed cannabis products was subject to legal consequences.

However, that all changed in 2014. President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill, permitting the cultivation of hemp products for research purposes. For the first time in nearly eighty years, the distinction was made between hemp and marijuana, two species of the cannabis plant. Unlike marijuana, hemp contains 0.3 percent of THC. Therefore, it is not a mind-altering drug.

With the passing of the 2014 Farm Bill, medical researchers were able to thoroughly study the potential benefits of CBD, a cannabinoid found within the hemp plant. What they found was that CBD has the potential to treat a wide range of conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression, neurological disorders and more.

The Hemp Farming Act of 2018

When the 2014 Farm Bill expired, the House and Senate began work ironing out the differences between their versions of the bill. The Senate's version of the bill included the complete legalization of hemp production without the restrictions found in the 2014 Farm Bill. Pro-hemp activists at the time hoped that the House agreed that it is time for hemp to be decriminalized on a federal level, which they finally did, hence the “CBD boom”.

Keep in mind, that this was legalized on a “federal level”, as on a state level, CBD can still be regulated as each state sees fit.

What are the Primary Benefits of Hemp Legalization?

Since cannabidiol become legalized nationwide, it finally gave hemp enthusiasts a reason to not only celebrate but get the most out of CBD in general. And, those who supported the cultivation of hemp for commercial purposes also knew of this bill’s dramatically positive effect within the United States.

So, ever since the bill was successfully passed, we have seen the following:

  • Bigger Profits for Hemp Farms
  • Easier Access to CBD Products
  • Mainstream Acceptance
  • Acceptance Among Medical Professionals
  • Reduction of Opioid Abuse
  • A Bright Light in the Mental Healthcare World
  • Lower Manufacturing Costs for Other Industries
  • Better Quality of CBD Products