Industrial hemp is an ancient crop, which has a multitude of different uses. The first uses of hemp can be traced back to the Sumerians and probably even earlier in the undocumented history of man. Industrial hemp is not marijuana although the two plants belong to the same family and have a vague resemblance to each other. The myriad uses of industrial hemp are being rediscovered and are at the forefront of research in several fields. I will try to dispel some of the myth and provide the history and proven uses of this amazing plant. The scientific name of industrial hemp is Cannabis sativa; which is one of the strains of marijuana (Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis). The main difference between the different strains is the almost complete lack of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the industrial hemp strain. Another important characteristic is that industrial hemp grows tall and narrow while the psychoactive and medicinal varieties grow short and bushy with large flowering buds. Many governments around the world recognize this difference and allow the cultivation of industrial hemp even where marijuana is not legal. Unfortunately the United States of America is not yet one of those countries. But many paths towards legal cultivation are being made. (Andrews 10) Historically industrial hemp has been grown on every continent with the exception of Antarctica and Greenland due to the harshness of their respective climates. The use of hemp has been archaeologically dated to the Neolithic era; with, pottery imprinted with hemp fiber found dating back to the 5th millennium BC Hemp is believed to have been cultivated by humans for over 12,000 years. The earliest hemp paper that survives to the present day dates back to the Western Han Dynasty in China. Hemp......middle of paper......2014.Martino, Joe. “Hemp is making great strides: It is now legal to grow in some states.” RSS of collective evolution. Np, 14 February 2014. Web. 21 February 2014. Nebbia, Kali. “Another way hemp plastic could save our lives.” Another way hemp plastic could save our lives. Soft Secrets USA, October 14, 2011. Web. March 19, 2014.""NEW BILLION DOLLAR CROP"" Popular Mechanics Magazine 1938th ser. February (1938): n. page Network. February 18, 2014. Robinson, Rowan. The Big Book of Hemp: The Complete Guide to the Environmental, Commercial, and Medicinal Uses of the World's Most Extraordinary Plant. Rochester, VT: Park Street, 1995. Google Books. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 1996. Web. 15 March 2014.Roulac, Giovanni. Hemp horizons: the return of the most promising plant in the world. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub., 1997. Print.