February 22nd marks the birthday of George Washington. The first President, Revolutionary War commander, (alleged) cherry tree lover, and… hemp enthusiast. 

Woah, what? Washington was a stoner? 

Before you picture the first President hotboxing Valley Forge, using his wig to shield a joint from the wind while he tried to light it (you’d think someone would have to be stoned to pick that hairstyle), or showing up to the Continental Congress with a bad case of the munchies, we need to set the record straight.

The type of industrial hemp he grew is not the same as the weed we smoke today. Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) contains less than 0.3% THC and therefore probably has no psychoactive effects. (You’d have to literally smoke about 100 joints of it to get the same high as you would from 1 joint of our Florida Wedding!)

Could he have tried smoking 100 joints of his own hemp to get high? Maybe after a particularly rough tussle with the British. We don’t know. He sure was legendarily chill under pressure. 

Washington’s Green Thumb 

George Washington cultivated hemp at Mount Vernon for industrial uses like making the rope, canvas for sacks and sails, and fixing fishing nets that he used in his plantation operations. 

The Father of Our Country kept meticulous records of his agricultural experiments (evidence that he probably wasn’t an indica guy). Washington refers to hemp 90 times in his diaries. Ninety times. Maybe “hemp” was his code name for his crush? 

In February 1794, Washington wrote to his farm manager: 

“I am very glad to hear that the Gardener has saved so much of the St Foin seed, and that of the India Hemp…Let the ground be well prepared and the Seed (St. Foin) be sown in April. The Hemp may be sown anywhere.” 

“The Hemp may be sown anywhere.” Iconic words from America’s first farmer-in-chief. A man ahead of his time! (at least on the hemp stuff, the plantations…not so much)

Hemp Returns to Mount Vernon

In 2018, the first crop of industrial hemp grown in centuries was harvested at Mount Vernon. Horticulturalists at Mount Vernon planted the crop “to highlight the first American president’s connection to agriculture.” Or at least that’s what they said… between coughs. 

The Founding Father of Industrial Hemp

Washington may have a far from perfect legacy (hundreds of slaves worked at Mount Vernon), but he did understand what America would really benefit from embracing today: hemp is an incredibly useful crop. It needs little fertilizer and water, its root system aerates the soil, and it can be used to make a huge variety of products.

So this February 22nd, as you celebrate the birthday of our first President, remember: George Washington grew cannabis. Lucky for all of us today, he used it to build a nation instead of to get baked. 

Though honestly? Crossing the Delaware in the middle of winter probably would’ve been more fun stoned.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

WEED THE PEOPLE