Fireworks. Flags. A suspicious amount of potato salad. Every July 4th, we celebrate freedom. But freedom’s always been a little complicated in America.
This country was founded on bold ideas, big contradictions, and some very questionable fashion choices. Among the crops fueling that revolution? Hemp. Once woven into the fabric of daily life, it’s making a comeback in the form of THC drinks and federally legal highs.
For some, that’s a new kind of independence: ditching alcohol, choosing plant-based feel-goods, and reclaiming a little peace of mind. But like the country itself, hemp’s legacy is tangled up in who had power, who had access, and who got left out.
So this Independence Day, we’re cracking open the can and the conversation. Because freedom isn’t just a vibe; it’s a right. And we’re claiming it, one euphoric lil sip at a time.
Hemp in the 1700s: The OG Colonial Staple
Pictured above: Laborers hackle hemp by hand, using comb-like tools to separate and align the fibers for spinning or twisting into rope, cloth, and other goods. Photo Courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the final Declaration of Independence was written on parchment, not hemp paper. But early drafts? Official documents? Farmer receipts and shipping manifests? Yeah, baby. Hemp was the default printer paper of the 1700s.
Back then, hemp wasn’t just some crunchy granola experiment. It was mandatory. In colonies like Virginia, farmers were legally required to grow it. The plant was woven into every corner of daily life: sails, rope, paper, clothes, lamp oil. If something could be tied, written on, or worn, odds are it was made from hemp. This wasn’t just agriculture, it was infrastructure.
Hemp came to symbolize independence. A homegrown crop that didn’t rely on British imports. A way to support your family, your neighbors, and your country. It was rugged, useful, and everywhere.
But let’s not romanticize it too much. That rugged self-reliance the colonies prided themselves on? It was only possible for those with land, power, and people to work that land—often by force. Enslaved labor built the foundation that hemp was planted on.
Pictured above: enslaved laborers cutting hemp in Kentucky.
So yeah, hemp helped hold the country together. But it also reveals the contradictions baked into the myth of American freedom from the very beginning.
Founding Fathers Were... Hemp Farmers (and Slave Owners)
Yes, George Washington really grew hemp. He wrote about it in his journals, rotated it seasonally, and experimented with different seed strains, but let’s not pretend he was out in the fields, hoe in hand. Washington inherited enslaved people at age 11 and relied on their forced labor to run his estate, including his hemp crops. He only arranged to free the slaves he owned in his will, after his death.
So. Complicated.
Thomas Jefferson also hyped up hemp. He imported seeds, championed agriculture as the backbone of democracy, and believed a strong country was built on the backs of independent farmers. But the freedom he envisioned was strictly for land-owning white men. Jefferson enslaved over 600 people in his lifetime. He once called slavery a “moral depravity,” but still argued it was necessary for the U.S. economy and resisted efforts to abolish it.
And no, despite what the internet claims, there’s zero proof Jefferson “smoked hemp on his veranda.” That viral quote? Totally fake.
What’s true is this: hemp was central to early American identity. It represented economic strength, self-reliance, and independence, but only for those with the privilege to profit from it. The same crop that symbolized freedom for some was cultivated through the bondage of others.
So when we talk about hemp as part of American heritage, we’ve gotta hold both truths: the ideal, and the injustice it stood on.
From Cultivation to Criminalization: How Hemp Got Canceled
For a while, hemp was just... hemp. A boring, practical crop with fibers strong enough to hold a ship together and vibes dry enough to make a Puritan blush. But as the U.S. industrialized, hemp’s popularity faded. Cotton got cheaper, synthetic fibers entered the chat, and cannabis—hemp’s more intoxicating twin—became the target of a full-blown moral panic.
By the early 1900s, anti-cannabis rhetoric was already on the rise, fueled by sensationalist headlines and straight-up racist propaganda. Lawmakers weren’t panicking over hemp rope. They were panicking over jazz, immigration, and the idea that cannabis use might challenge the social order. The 1937 magazine article pictured above, was written by US Federal Bureau of Narcotics chief Harry Anslinger, and is a classic example of ‘Reefer Madness’-era propaganda.
The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 lumped all cannabis under one big prohibition-shaped umbrella. Doesn’t matter if it was hemp or high-THC flower. Scientifically, they’re the same species: Cannabis sativa L. The only difference? THC content. But that nuance didn’t stand a chance against fear, racism, and political theater.
The plant that once symbolized freedom and self-reliance? Suddenly it was criminal, suspicious, and punishable.
Then came the War on Drugs, where things went from bad to brutal. Black and Brown communities were hit hardest, targeted, overpoliced, and incarcerated at wildly disproportionate rates for nonviolent cannabis offenses. The very same plant that helped build the country was now being used to tear families apart.
This was a major shift in power. A tool of rebellion turned into a tool of control. And the fallout still lingers in the laws, the stigma, and the massive gaps in who gets to profit from cannabis today.
Reclaiming Cannabis: A New Kind of Independence
It took nearly a century, but hemp is finally back on the legal map. The 2018 Farm Bill reopened the doors by federally legalizing hemp and its derivatives, as long as they contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. And just like that, a plant that was once criminalized and demonized became a booming industry.
It’s both a wellness win and an economic one. The modern hemp industry, fueled by innovation, entrepreneurship, and shifting public perception, is now worth billions. From small-batch farmers to beverage brands like ours, people are building businesses, creating jobs, and proving that cannabis can uplift communities, not just products.
Even though hemp-derived THC is low in THC by weight, today’s drinks and edibles are crafted with intention. They’re designed to deliver that feel-good high without the baggage of booze. No hangovers. No blackout texts. Just a plant-based exhale you can sip in the sunshine.
For a lot of people, that’s a whole new kind of freedom. Freedom to feel good without numbing out. Freedom to choose THC over alcohol, wellness over punishment, and joy without the shame spiral. It’s a way to reclaim autonomy and rewrite your relationship with your body, your brain, and your weekend plans.
And it’s not just niche anymore. Hemp-derived THC drinks are showing up at grocery stores, bars, concerts, and backyard cookouts with your uncle who still thinks weed is a gateway drug. It’s freedom in a can, and this time, it’s for you.
But not everyone’s invited to the party. While some are free to sip, sell, and celebrate, others are still navigating criminal records, financial barriers, and outdated laws. So before we raise a toast to progress, let’s talk about who’s still being left out—and what real freedom would actually look like.
Not Everyone’s Free Yet: The Ongoing Fight for Cannabis Access
The cannabis industry might be thriving, but freedom within it? Still feels kinda members-only.
Hemp-derived THC drinks are hitting grocery shelves. Dispensaries are serving up curated highs with woodgrain countertops and 1:1 consulting. Meanwhile, people are still sitting in jail for rolling a joint in the wrong zip code ten years ago. That’s not justice. That’s just (on-brand) American contradiction.
And it’s not just in the past. Right now, lawmakers in multiple states are trying to ban hemp-derived THC entirely, which puts access, small businesses and personal choice at risk. So while cannabis may be legal for some, it’s far from free for all.
That’s why we’re proud to support organizations like the U.S. Hemp Roudtable, whose mission is to create an equitable and impactful hemp industry.
They’re advocating for an industry where small businesses can actually survive, where Black and Brown entrepreneurs aren’t left out of the boom, and where safe, transparent products are the status quo. They believe that people with nonviolent cannabis records should be a part of the industry, and not excluded from it.
They’re also working to clean up the space with better environmental practices (yay mother nature!) and fighting predatory marketing tactics that harm marginalized communities. More or less, it’s a fight for conscious communities, fair access, and restorative justice. And we’re here for it.
The spirit of independence isn’t just about red, white, and freedom-flavored fireworks. It’s about the right to choose how you live, what you consume, and how you show up in your community. And that fight? It’s still happening. State by state, and rule by rule.
Real freedom means access, equity, and opportunity. And until everyone’s got a seat at the picnic, we’re not done.
Raise a Can, Raise Your Voice
Some of America’s boldest claims about freedom have been true. Others? Aspirational at best. And many (like the story of hemp) are more complicated than we like to admit.
But Independence Day isn’t about pretending the past was perfect. It’s about honoring the right to live freely, and fighting to make that right real for everyone.
For many, that means reclaiming wellness. Choosing THC over alcohol. Supporting plant-based alternatives. Ditching shame in favor of joy, presence, and personal agency. That’s freedom worth celebrating.
So this July 4th, raise a can to where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
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Vote like the cannabis industry depends on it (because it does.)
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Advocate for equity and expungement.
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Support the people and brands building a better industry.
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And yeah, enjoy a lil THC treat while you’re at it. You’ve earned it.
Real freedom hops forward—one sip, one step, and one loud lil frog at a time.
