 In 1892, the Department of Agriculture distributed "Cannabis sativa" seeds to hundreds of farmers in New South Wales as an experiment in the cultivation of hemp due to the high prices of binding-twine at the time.From 1840 to the early 1900s, Australians used cannabis as a medicinal herb and Cigares de Joy (cannabis cigarettes) were sold over the counter.The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, an international treaty adopted in 1961, broadened the scope of controlled substances to include Cannabis sativa.