You Think Industrial Hemp
Should Be Illegal?
WHY?!?!
"Drugs are bad. We're fighting a war on drugs in this country."
Really? You're still regurgitating THAT propaganda? First of all, hemp doesn't contain enough THC to get an ant high. Have you ever tried smoking a hemp necklace? What was the outcome? I bet I can guess. You probably destroyed an awesome piece of jewelry. Perhaps you accidentally started a house fire. Any way you look at it, you made a poor decision based on a lack of knowledge.
"We don't need more hippies making hippie jewelry."
Really? You're still regurgitating old fashioned stereotypes based on a lack on knowledge? Perhaps you're concerned about global warming. Maybe worries about radiation poisoning keep you up at night. Maybe you're tired of paying high gas prices. Perhaps you're fond of trees. Perhaps you wish there was an alternative way to make paper. One that didn't sacrifice something that took decades to mature.
The First Flag of the U.S.A. was made from hemp.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't get more patriotic than that. Our forefathers would be ashamed of what we, as a country, have turned into.
Many people blame lobbyists who were in favor of the paper industry. "Money talks." I guess some things haven't changed.
The thing is, this country is broke. We've been slacking on our exports. We've been slacking in production in general. (Not including the arms business. That's a topic I'll save for another day.)
I honestly can't find anything bad to say about this plant. Can you? The more research I do, the less I understand why something so wonderful could be demonized completely. It just goes to show you how fickle humanity really is.
There are days I go to bed sad. Why? Oh how quickly we forget history. When you don't learn from the past, you're doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again... That's why they say history repeats itself. People tend not to notice due to short attention spans. (This is why politics works the way it does. If you just keep smiling and saying what people want to hear, anything's possible. Some might call it selling out. Others call it survival tactics.)
Hemp Basics
"General Hemp Information, Uses, Facts
On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as 2 to 3 acres of cotton. Hemp fiber is stronger and softer than cotton, lasts twice as long as cotton, and will not mildew.
Cotton grows only in moderate climates and requires more water than hemp; but hemp is frost tolerant, requires only moderate amounts of water, and grows in all 50 states. Cotton requires large quantities of pesticides and herbicides--50% of the world's pesticides/herbicides are used in the production of cotton. Hemp requires no pesticides, no herbicides, and only moderate amounts of fertilizer.
On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much paper as 2 to 4 acres of trees. From tissue paper to cardboard, all types of paper products can be produced from hemp.
The quality of hemp paper is superior to tree-based paper. Hemp paper will last hundreds of years without degrading, can be recycled many more times than tree-based paper, and requires less toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process than does paper made from trees.
Hemp can be used to produce fiberboard that is stronger and lighter than wood. Substituting hemp fiberboard for timber would further reduce the need to cut down our forests.
Hemp can be used to produce strong, durable and environmentally-friendly plastic substitutes. Thousands of products made from petroleum-based plastics can be produced from hemp-based composites.
It takes years for trees to grow until they can be harvested for paper or wood, but hemp is ready for harvesting only 120 days after it is planted. Hemp can grow on most land suitable for farming, while forests and tree farms require large tracts of land available in few locations. Harvesting hemp rather than trees would also eliminate erosion due to logging, thereby reducing topsoil loss and water pollution caused by soil runoff.
Hemp seeds contain a protein that is more nutritious and more economical to produce than soybean protein. Hemp seeds are not intoxicating. Hemp seed protein can be used to produce virtually any product made from soybean: tofu, veggie burgers, butter, cheese, salad oils, ice cream, milk, etc. Hemp seed can also be ground into a nutritious flour that can be used to produce baked goods such as pasta, cookies, and breads.
Hemp seed oil can be used to produce non-toxic diesel fuel, paint, varnish, detergent, ink and lubricating oil. Because hemp seeds account for up to half the weight of a mature hemp plant, hemp seed is a viable source for these products.
Just as corn can be converted into clean-burning ethanol fuel, so can hemp. Because hemp produces more biomass than any plant species (including corn) that can be grown in a wide range of climates and locations, hemp has great potential to become a major source of ethanol fuel.
Literally millions of wild hemp plants currently grow throughout the U.S. Wild hemp, like hemp grown for industrial use, has no drug properties because of its low THC content. U.S. marijuana laws prevent farmers from growing the same hemp plant that proliferates in nature by the millions.
From 1776 to 1937, hemp was a major American crop and textiles made from hemp were common. Yet, The American Textile Museum, The Smithsonian Institute, and most American history books contain no mention of hemp. The government's War on Drugs has created an atmosphere of self censorship where speaking of hemp in a positive manner is considered politically incorrect or taboo.
United States Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp, used products made from hemp, and praised the hemp plant in some of their writings.
No other natural resource offers the potential of hemp. Cannabis Hemp is capable of producing significant quantities of paper, textiles, building materials, food, medicine, paint, detergent, varnish, oil, ink, and fuel. Unlike other crops, hemp can grow in most climates and on most farmland throughout the world with moderate water and fertilizer requirements, no pesticides, and no herbicides. Cannabis Hemp (also known as Indian Hemp) has enormous potential to become a major natural resource that can benefit both the economy and the environment."
Did you know it's good for you?
- "Hemp is one of the most nutritionally rich foods around. A single serving provides us with:
- Complete protein (all twenty amino acids, including the nine essential amino acids)
- Essential fatty acids (EFA’s)
- An ideal 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium"
| Countries Growing Industrial Hemp Today |
| "The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not recognize the value of industrial hemp and permit its production. Below is a list of other countries that are more rational when it comes to hemp policy. |
| AUSTRALIA began research trials in Tasmania in 1995. Victoria commercial production since1998. New South Wales has research. In 2002, Queensland began production. Western Australia licensed crops in 2004. AUSTRIA has a hemp industry including production of hemp seed oil, medicinals and Hanf magazine. CANADA started to license research crops in 1994. In addition to crops for fiber, one seed crop was licensed in 1995. Many acres were planted in 1997. Licenses for commercial agriculture saw thousands of acres planted in 1998. 30,000 acres were planted in 1999. In 2000, due to speculative investing, 12,250 acres were sown. In 2001, 92 farmers grew 3,250 acres. A number of Canadian farmers are now growing organically-certified hemp crops (6,000 acres in 2003 and 8,500 acres in 2004, yielding almost four million pounds of seed). CHILE has grown hemp in the recent past for seed oil production. CHINA is the largest exporter of hemp textiles. The fabrics are of excellent quality. Medium density fiber board is also now available. The Chinese word for hemp is "ma." DENMARK planted its first modern hemp trial crops in 1997. The country is committed to utilizing organic methods. FINLAND had a resurgence of hemp in 1995 with several small test plots. A seed variety for northern climates was developed called Finola, previously know by the breeder code "FIN-314." In 2003, Finola was accepted to the EU list of subsidized hemp cultivars. Hemp has never been prohibited in Finland. The Finnish word for hemp is "hamppu." FRANCE has never prohibited hemp and harvested 10,000 tons of fiber in 1994. France is a source of low-THC-producing hemp seed for other countries. France exports high quality hemp oil to the U.S. The French word for hemp is "chanvre." GERMANY banned hemp in 1982, but research began again in 1992, and many technologies and products are now being developed, as the ban was lifted on growing hemp in November, 1995. Food, clothes and paper are also being made from imported raw materials. Mercedes and BMW use hemp fiber for composites in door panels, dashboards, etc. The German word for hemp is "hanf." GREAT BRITAIN lifted hemp prohibition in 1993. Animal bedding, paper and textiles markets have been developed. A government grant was given to develop new markets for natural fibers. 4,000 acres were grown in 1994. Subsidies of 230 British pounds per acre are given by the government to farmers for growing hemp. HUNGARY is rebuilding their hemp industry, and is one of the biggest exporters of hemp cordage, rugs and fabric to the U.S. They also export hemp seed, paper and fiberboard. The Hungarian word for hemp is "kender." INDIA has stands of naturalized Cannabis and uses it for cordage, textiles and seed. ITALY has invested in the resurgence of hemp, especially for textile production. 1,000 acres were planted for fiber in 2002. Giorgio Armani grows its own hemp for specialized textiles. JAPAN has a rich religious tradition involving hemp, and custom requires that the Emperor and Shinto priests wear hemp garments in certain ceremonies, so there are small plots maintained for these purposes. Traditional spice mixes also include hemp seed. Japan supports a thriving retail market for a variety of hemp products. The Japanese word for hemp is "asa." NETHERLANDS is conducting a four-year study to evaluate and test hemp for paper, and is developing specialized processing equipment. Seed breeders are developing new strains of low-THC varieties. The Dutch word for hemp is "hennep." NEW ZEALAND started hemp trials in 2001. Various cultivars are being planted in the north and south islands. POLAND currently grows hemp for fabric and cordage and manufactures hemp particle board. They have demonstrated the benefits of using hemp to cleanse soils contaminated by heavy metals. The Polish word for hemp is "konopij." ROMANIA is the largest commercial producer of hemp in Europe. 1993 acreage was 40,000 acres. Some of it is exported to Hungary for processing. They also export hemp to Western Europe and the U.S. The Romanian word for hemp is "cinepa." RUSSIA maintains the largest hemp germplasm collection in the world at the N.I. Vavilov Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) in St. Petersburg. They are in need of funding to maintain and support the collection. The Russian word for hemp is "konoplya." SLOVENIA grows hemp and manufactures currency paper. SPAIN has never prohibited hemp, produces rope and textiles, and exports hemp pulp for paper. The Spanish word for hemp is "cañamo." SWITZERLAND is a producer of hemp and hosts one of the largest hemp trade events, Cannatrade. TURKEY has grown hemp for 2,800 years for rope, caulking, birdseed, paper and fuel. The Turkish word for hemp is "kendir." UKRAINE, EGYPT, KOREA, PORTUGAL and THAILAND also produce hemp. UNITED STATES granted the first hemp permit in over 40 years to Hawaii for an experimental quarter-acre plot in 1999. The license was renewed, but the project has since been closed due to DEA stalling tactics and related funding problems. Importers and manufacturers have thrived using imported raw materials. 22 states have introduced legislation, including VT, HI, ND, MT, MN, IL, VA, NM, CA, AR, KY, MD, WV and ME, addressing support, research or cultivation with bills or resolutions. The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has endorsed industrial hemp for years." |
WWII poster.
WWII
During WWII the Japanese cut-off supplies of manilla hemp from the Philippines. Therefore, the US government formed the War Hemp Industries, a subsidiary of the Commodity Credit Corporation, to build over forty hemp fiber processing mills throughout the Midwest to produce cordage for the Navy.
In 1942, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) produced a pamphlet, Farmer’s Bulletin 1935, as well as a short film, “Hemp for Victory” to educate farmers on the history, uses, cultivation, and harvesting of hemp.
| (Bibliography |
PROGRESS!
NAIHC.org, July 12, 2013 – In a breakthrough for industrial hemp, the U.S. House’s 2013 Farm Bill includes a bipartisan amendment to authorize colleges and universities to grow the crop for research purposes.
The overall Farm Bill, HR 2642, is a partisan bill which passed by a 216-208 party-line vote. Democrats uniformly opposed the bill after Republicans amended the bill to remove the Food Stamps program. But the industrial hemp provision co-sponsored by Congressmen Jared Polis (D-CO), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Thomas Massie (R-KY) remained in the bill thanks to solid bipartisan support.
If you didn't already know how amazing this plant was, hopefully your current opinions have been challenged.
Call your state representatives. Tell them the FACTS. Knowledge is power.
