Well, that's not exactly correct.
<> Both are Cannabis Sativa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp <>
They are very similar plants though.
<> Check the link for the taxonomic distinctions, both are Cannabis Sativa, hemp comes from a subspecies sativa var. sativa <>
Hemp does not contain the THC element that gets you high.
<> I believe it does, but in very small quantities. <>
The fibers are very strong - it is where hemp rope use to come from. Now they make all sorts of clothing from hemp.
<> Yeah, there is a wide variety of overpriced products made from hemp <>
The problem is, the Government doesn't like you growing Hemp because they have a very difficult time determining if you are growing Hemp or Marijuana.
Governmental overkill, basically.
<> Pot was a common herbal medicine from the earliest days of the country.
It was a popular headache remedy until opium and aspirin came along.
There is some controversy as to why it was made illegal. It is quite likely that
it's illegality is what saved it from becoming a curiosity of history.
But it is also a good example of bad politics. The first campaign against it saved it. Then Nixon did his Drug War as a revenge on hippies. There was no medical reason to do that, but there were medical reasons not to. Then when Reagan revived the Drug War it forced Latin Americans into smuggling hard drugs like cocaine. Cocoaine went from rare and expensive to something you could get anywhere for $5. And that was a disaster. <>