The history of hemp

The history of hemp goes back about 12,000 years: genetic evidence suggests Cannabis sativa was first domesticated in East Asia in the early Neolithic. Fibre hemp spread west into the Middle East and Europe about 4,000 years ago and was grown for rope, cloth and seed for centuries. In the 20th century, drug laws pushed hemp into decline. Today it is grown again under licence, defined by its low THC content.

Where does hemp come from?

For a long time, Central Asia was assumed to be where cannabis was first cultivated. A 2021 study that sequenced the genomes of 110 cannabis plants from around the world pointed instead to East Asia. It found that "C. sativa was first domesticated in early Neolithic times in East Asia" and that all of today's hemp and drug varieties descend from an ancestral gene pool that survives in feral plants and old landraces in China (Ren et al., 2021).

The wild plant is much older. Fossil pollen points to the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau as the centre of origin, and shows that cannabis had reached Europe by 1.8–1.2 million years ago, long before farming (McPartland, 2018).

When did people start using hemp for fibre?

Early cannabis was a multipurpose crop. According to the same genomic study, farmers later selected it in two directions: tall, fibre-rich hemp and resin-rich drug types. The researchers also found that each type lost the function of genes for one of the two competing cannabinoids, as farmers selected "for increased fiber production or psychoactive properties" (Ren et al., 2021). This fits with today's hemp making mainly CBD and very little THC; our guide to what hemp is explains the difference.

What was hemp used for in the past?

• Fibre: the long fibres in the stalk were made into cord, rope, sailcloth and cloth.
• Seed: the seeds were eaten and pressed for oil.
• Resin: separate drug-type plants were used in rituals and as an intoxicant. For the story of THC itself, read the history of THC.

Why did hemp farming decline?

In the 20th century, laws aimed at drug cannabis also caught hemp, because both are the same plant. Internationally, the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs put cannabis under control. But it states: "This Convention shall not apply to the cultivation of the cannabis plant exclusively for industrial purposes (fibre and seed) or horticultural purposes" (United Nations, 1961, Article 28(2)). That exemption made hemp's later comeback possible.

In the UK, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 lists "Cannabis and cannabis resin" as Class B drugs. Growing hemp therefore needs a Home Office licence (Home Office, 2025).

The confusion has lasted. Many people still mix up hemp and marijuana; our guide to cannabis, marijuana and hemp sorts out the terms.

How did hemp make a comeback?

Today's rules tie hemp to its THC content. In the UK, the Home Office licenses hemp cultivation from approved seed varieties with a THC content of no more than 0.2%. The licence does not cover the leaves and flowers, which remain controlled (Home Office, 2025). In the EU, raw hemp and hemp seed for sowing must not exceed 0.3% THC. The EU hemp area grew from 20,540 hectares in 2015 to 33,020 hectares in 2022, and France grows more than 60% of the crop (European Commission).

What is hemp used for today?

The European Commission lists textile fibre, food and animal feed, construction materials such as hempcrete and insulation, paper, and newer uses in the car and cosmetics industries (European Commission). For CBD, the flowers are the valuable part. See the uses of hemp and how hemp is grown.

Grown in Central Switzerland: our CBD oils.