weedwhacker
04-17-2008, 05:00 AM
I was going to put this in the cannabis activisim forum, but this isn't a letter to a politician, but a research paper for school, so it might as well be here. This is more of a rough draft, so any critisim/comments are appreciated. At the end i cite my sources, so if you're looking for good places to find industrial hemp info, just check out the links at the bottom. the best one by far is from the perdue site. it's about 6 pages double spaced. comments are appreciated!!!
Imagine living in a society that relies on a plant for almost everything. Clothing is made of it, cars runs on it, and houses, paper, human and pet food all use it. Now imagine this imperative plant is illegal. Using lies and scare tactics to trick and persuade the public, the government has changed the overall perception of the plant. In the United States the DEA has completely illegalized hemp to the point of destruction. Hemp is the most misunderstood plant in history. It has at least 50,000 possible uses and products; including textiles, oils, foods, houses, livestock feed, paper, biodegradable plastics, body care products, biofuels, and livestock bedding, and one can’t help but think this important plant’s reputation has been tarnished. Throughout the history of humans hemp has always been used for one thing or another. Archeological evidence proves that hemp was the first crop ever farmed by humans, and was most likely desired for the clothing and paper capabilities. From the Bronze Age until the steam engine, hemp was the default material for ship sails and rope (the word canvas is a root word of cannabis), and almost all high quality paints were made from hemp oil. Although the DEA has determined hemp illegal, it is very easy to grow and is great for the environment; hemp is the most useful crop known to man, if used fully it would be the #1 cash crop in the world.
At the moment (in terms of sales) possibly the largest product hemp produces is clothing. Hemp textiles have a long history, dating back about 12,000 years. The original U.S flag “Old Glory” was made from hemp textiles. Until the mid 19th century, 80% of all clothing and textiles were made from hemp (3). Currently almost all textiles are made from cotton, yet hemp textiles are better in almost every way. Imagine passing a pair of jeans down to your grandchildren! Hemp clothing is stronger, longer lasting, more resistant to mildew, and cheaper to produce than cotton (6). In addition, it is much more environmentally sound than cotton, because it does not require pesticides. Since hemp is a weed, it outgrows any other weeds around it, eliminating the need for herbicides, which cotton relies on.
One of the most important and astonishingly unknown uses for industrial hemp is the production of paper. Hemp paper, as opposed to tree paper, does not require certain acids to enhance quality. Such acids are the reason tree paper tends to yellow after a few decades. Hemp paper can last centuries. The United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written on hemp paper, if had they been written on tree paper they would be completely unreadable today (5). Deforestation is a huge problem in the world, and as the rainforests begin to shrink, it becomes clear that an alternate source for paper is needed. In addition to being easy to grow, hemp paper could be grown domestically. Because it is a weed, hemp can be grown in all fifty states, even Alaska. It is estimated that the amount of paper four acres of hemp would produce equals one acre of trees.
Earth’s need for energy will never change, and many scientists agree that biofuels are the next step to freeing humans from dependence on oil. Hemp produces biomass, which can be converted to methane, methanol or gasoline for much cheaper than oil, coal and nuclear energy, providing a clean, renewable source of energy, thus eliminating adverse environmental effects such as acid rain, sulfur smog and the greenhouse effect on our atmosphere (2). In addition, any CO2 that is emitted from the car is made up for when the next season of crops grows, making it carbon neutral. As biofuel interest is increasing, so is research, and more should be done on hemp as a future source, however the legal status of the plant makes it difficult for scientists to experiment with it. Hemp has a history of use for energy, in fact Henry Ford’s Model T was designed to run on hemp oil gasoline, but was unable to do so as a result of congress illegalizing cannabis. Some hemp based diesel fuel was in use before this as well.
Hemp is currently marketed all over the world (including the United States) with body care products including creams, lotions, moisturizers, shampoos and lip balms (1). Hemp body care products are renowned for having high quality compared to the standard type of body care products. The industry for hemp body care products has gained much interest recently, with one billion dollars spent on hemp body care products in the last year.
Hemp, particularly the seed, can be consumed and is considered very healthy and tasty. The hemp seed produces a non narcotic oil which can be consumed and cooked with. The seed and oil contain omega 3,5 and 9 fatty acids, which are astoundingly nutritious. Hemp is the only plant in nature in which these acids are present. The seed is about 25-30% protein, with about 2/3rds of the protein being edistin (1). All eight crucial digestive amino acids are present, plus more. Hemp seed can be consumed by just eating the seed, or using the oil from the seed to cook. Hemp burgers can be made just like soy burgers, pressed into nutrition bars, and can also be made into high quality flour. Because of the legality of the plant, it is required that all seeds imported into the U.S be sterilized so that they cannot germinate (this is very similar to how poppy seeds are sterilized). The sterilization process affects the taste of the seeds and lowers the amount of time the seed has before it becomes too old to eat (1).
Another use for the oil that the seed produces is for paints and varnishes. Virtually all famous paintings were painted on a hemp canvas using hemp paint, including most paintings by Van Gogh, Gainsborough, and the Mona Lisa. These hemp paintings have stayed in great condition after hundreds of years. Hemp paints and varnishes are resistant to light, heat, mildew and insects. In 1935 116 million pounds of hemp oil were grown just for the purpose of paints.
Hemp fiber can produce biodegradable plastics, which are able to decompose, unlike modern plastic products. A major environmental concern is that current plastic will take hundreds of years to decompose fully, thus pollution will lie around for a very long time. Hemp made plastics will decompose within one month, making them environmentally sound. One of the most notable uses for these plastics is the production of automobiles. Currently, roughly 25% of the interior parts of Mercedes Benz cars are made from hemp biodegradables (1). Mercedes takes advantage of hemp for its high quality material and low cost. Henry Ford designed many cars that were made from hemp, and gave demonstrations of the strength of the car by attaching it with a sledge hammer (5). The car was able to withstand impacts 10 times stronger than steel, and was very difficult to dent. The car was never mass produced because of the ban on cannabis. Another important use for hemp in regards to materials is construction. In France, 100% hemp houses are being built affordably. From insulation, to plumbing pipes, to wooden frames, hemp can produce practically any part of a house imaginable.
Farmers are already taking an interest in hemp’s ability to produce high quality livestock feed and bedding. The highly nutritious seeds are also very beneficial to the health of animals, and hemp seeds can be pressed into a kind of cake that is a very healthy livestock feed (1). The fiber can be pressed to produce a warm, soft bedding that many animals, horses in particular, enjoy. Hemp animal bedding is more effective than conventional straw because some animals can have allergic reactions when exposed to straw, but no known allergies come from hemp. Many conventional birdseeds will include pieces of hemp seed in the mix as well.
After reading about the seemingly endless possibilities hemp has to offer, one may ask why it is still banned by the DEA. The Marihuana tax act of 1937 banned all forms of Cannabis, including cannabis Sativa, Indica, and Rhuderillis. It does not specify the breed of cannabis or differentiate the narcotic breed from its fibrous cousin. Instead it labeled all cannabis, including the non narcotic industrial hemp as a “Deadly drug that menaces the population”. In reality, industrial hemp contains 1% THC at the most. THC stands for Tetrohydrocannibinol, which is what certain breeds of cannabis produce as natural protection from insects and UV rays. THC is psychoactive to humans and animals. Trying to smoke industrial hemp products and expecting to get a high would be like trying to get drunk off of a non alcoholic beer (2). In fact, industrial hemp produces CBD, which is almost like an anti THC, and causes headaches and nausea when smoked, so one could argue that industrial hemp is anti-marijuana. The DEA argues that legalizing hemp could make growing narcotic cannabis easier because farmers could disguise their crop as industrial, however industrial cannabis looks very different from narcotic cannabis, and growing a narcotic strain next to an industrial strain would cause cross breading, which would create very low levels of THC. It is possible to grow hemp legally, but requires one to fill out paperwork, and receive a license from the DEA (which are seldom given ou)t. Special requirements are implemented on the farmer, who must follow guidelines such as 24 hour security, fences, and watchdogs, effectively making the crop too expensive for anyone to grow.
References
1-http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-284.html
2-http://http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html
3-http://www.rawganique.com/whyhemp.htm
4-http://www.hemp-sisters.com/Information/about.htm
5-http://http://altahemp.com/hempinfo.html (http://http/altahemp.com/hempinfo.html)
6-http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/fact1_10.htm
Imagine living in a society that relies on a plant for almost everything. Clothing is made of it, cars runs on it, and houses, paper, human and pet food all use it. Now imagine this imperative plant is illegal. Using lies and scare tactics to trick and persuade the public, the government has changed the overall perception of the plant. In the United States the DEA has completely illegalized hemp to the point of destruction. Hemp is the most misunderstood plant in history. It has at least 50,000 possible uses and products; including textiles, oils, foods, houses, livestock feed, paper, biodegradable plastics, body care products, biofuels, and livestock bedding, and one can’t help but think this important plant’s reputation has been tarnished. Throughout the history of humans hemp has always been used for one thing or another. Archeological evidence proves that hemp was the first crop ever farmed by humans, and was most likely desired for the clothing and paper capabilities. From the Bronze Age until the steam engine, hemp was the default material for ship sails and rope (the word canvas is a root word of cannabis), and almost all high quality paints were made from hemp oil. Although the DEA has determined hemp illegal, it is very easy to grow and is great for the environment; hemp is the most useful crop known to man, if used fully it would be the #1 cash crop in the world.
At the moment (in terms of sales) possibly the largest product hemp produces is clothing. Hemp textiles have a long history, dating back about 12,000 years. The original U.S flag “Old Glory” was made from hemp textiles. Until the mid 19th century, 80% of all clothing and textiles were made from hemp (3). Currently almost all textiles are made from cotton, yet hemp textiles are better in almost every way. Imagine passing a pair of jeans down to your grandchildren! Hemp clothing is stronger, longer lasting, more resistant to mildew, and cheaper to produce than cotton (6). In addition, it is much more environmentally sound than cotton, because it does not require pesticides. Since hemp is a weed, it outgrows any other weeds around it, eliminating the need for herbicides, which cotton relies on.
One of the most important and astonishingly unknown uses for industrial hemp is the production of paper. Hemp paper, as opposed to tree paper, does not require certain acids to enhance quality. Such acids are the reason tree paper tends to yellow after a few decades. Hemp paper can last centuries. The United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written on hemp paper, if had they been written on tree paper they would be completely unreadable today (5). Deforestation is a huge problem in the world, and as the rainforests begin to shrink, it becomes clear that an alternate source for paper is needed. In addition to being easy to grow, hemp paper could be grown domestically. Because it is a weed, hemp can be grown in all fifty states, even Alaska. It is estimated that the amount of paper four acres of hemp would produce equals one acre of trees.
Earth’s need for energy will never change, and many scientists agree that biofuels are the next step to freeing humans from dependence on oil. Hemp produces biomass, which can be converted to methane, methanol or gasoline for much cheaper than oil, coal and nuclear energy, providing a clean, renewable source of energy, thus eliminating adverse environmental effects such as acid rain, sulfur smog and the greenhouse effect on our atmosphere (2). In addition, any CO2 that is emitted from the car is made up for when the next season of crops grows, making it carbon neutral. As biofuel interest is increasing, so is research, and more should be done on hemp as a future source, however the legal status of the plant makes it difficult for scientists to experiment with it. Hemp has a history of use for energy, in fact Henry Ford’s Model T was designed to run on hemp oil gasoline, but was unable to do so as a result of congress illegalizing cannabis. Some hemp based diesel fuel was in use before this as well.
Hemp is currently marketed all over the world (including the United States) with body care products including creams, lotions, moisturizers, shampoos and lip balms (1). Hemp body care products are renowned for having high quality compared to the standard type of body care products. The industry for hemp body care products has gained much interest recently, with one billion dollars spent on hemp body care products in the last year.
Hemp, particularly the seed, can be consumed and is considered very healthy and tasty. The hemp seed produces a non narcotic oil which can be consumed and cooked with. The seed and oil contain omega 3,5 and 9 fatty acids, which are astoundingly nutritious. Hemp is the only plant in nature in which these acids are present. The seed is about 25-30% protein, with about 2/3rds of the protein being edistin (1). All eight crucial digestive amino acids are present, plus more. Hemp seed can be consumed by just eating the seed, or using the oil from the seed to cook. Hemp burgers can be made just like soy burgers, pressed into nutrition bars, and can also be made into high quality flour. Because of the legality of the plant, it is required that all seeds imported into the U.S be sterilized so that they cannot germinate (this is very similar to how poppy seeds are sterilized). The sterilization process affects the taste of the seeds and lowers the amount of time the seed has before it becomes too old to eat (1).
Another use for the oil that the seed produces is for paints and varnishes. Virtually all famous paintings were painted on a hemp canvas using hemp paint, including most paintings by Van Gogh, Gainsborough, and the Mona Lisa. These hemp paintings have stayed in great condition after hundreds of years. Hemp paints and varnishes are resistant to light, heat, mildew and insects. In 1935 116 million pounds of hemp oil were grown just for the purpose of paints.
Hemp fiber can produce biodegradable plastics, which are able to decompose, unlike modern plastic products. A major environmental concern is that current plastic will take hundreds of years to decompose fully, thus pollution will lie around for a very long time. Hemp made plastics will decompose within one month, making them environmentally sound. One of the most notable uses for these plastics is the production of automobiles. Currently, roughly 25% of the interior parts of Mercedes Benz cars are made from hemp biodegradables (1). Mercedes takes advantage of hemp for its high quality material and low cost. Henry Ford designed many cars that were made from hemp, and gave demonstrations of the strength of the car by attaching it with a sledge hammer (5). The car was able to withstand impacts 10 times stronger than steel, and was very difficult to dent. The car was never mass produced because of the ban on cannabis. Another important use for hemp in regards to materials is construction. In France, 100% hemp houses are being built affordably. From insulation, to plumbing pipes, to wooden frames, hemp can produce practically any part of a house imaginable.
Farmers are already taking an interest in hemp’s ability to produce high quality livestock feed and bedding. The highly nutritious seeds are also very beneficial to the health of animals, and hemp seeds can be pressed into a kind of cake that is a very healthy livestock feed (1). The fiber can be pressed to produce a warm, soft bedding that many animals, horses in particular, enjoy. Hemp animal bedding is more effective than conventional straw because some animals can have allergic reactions when exposed to straw, but no known allergies come from hemp. Many conventional birdseeds will include pieces of hemp seed in the mix as well.
After reading about the seemingly endless possibilities hemp has to offer, one may ask why it is still banned by the DEA. The Marihuana tax act of 1937 banned all forms of Cannabis, including cannabis Sativa, Indica, and Rhuderillis. It does not specify the breed of cannabis or differentiate the narcotic breed from its fibrous cousin. Instead it labeled all cannabis, including the non narcotic industrial hemp as a “Deadly drug that menaces the population”. In reality, industrial hemp contains 1% THC at the most. THC stands for Tetrohydrocannibinol, which is what certain breeds of cannabis produce as natural protection from insects and UV rays. THC is psychoactive to humans and animals. Trying to smoke industrial hemp products and expecting to get a high would be like trying to get drunk off of a non alcoholic beer (2). In fact, industrial hemp produces CBD, which is almost like an anti THC, and causes headaches and nausea when smoked, so one could argue that industrial hemp is anti-marijuana. The DEA argues that legalizing hemp could make growing narcotic cannabis easier because farmers could disguise their crop as industrial, however industrial cannabis looks very different from narcotic cannabis, and growing a narcotic strain next to an industrial strain would cause cross breading, which would create very low levels of THC. It is possible to grow hemp legally, but requires one to fill out paperwork, and receive a license from the DEA (which are seldom given ou)t. Special requirements are implemented on the farmer, who must follow guidelines such as 24 hour security, fences, and watchdogs, effectively making the crop too expensive for anyone to grow.
References
1-http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-284.html
2-http://http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html
3-http://www.rawganique.com/whyhemp.htm
4-http://www.hemp-sisters.com/Information/about.htm
5-http://http://altahemp.com/hempinfo.html (http://http/altahemp.com/hempinfo.html)
6-http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/fact1_10.htm