...“Industrial hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the same species, Cannabis sativa L. In the United States, Cannabis sativa is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, regardless of its narcotic content, under the Controlled Substances Act as amended.” (USDA 1). U.S. markets for hemp fiber (specialty textiles, paper, and composites) and seed (in food or crushed for oil) are, and will likely remain, small, thin markets. Uncertainty about longrun demand for hemp products and the potential for oversupply discounts the prospects for hemp as an economically viable alternative crop for American farmers. (USDA i). The main reason the hemp market is as described by the USDA is that hemp is illegal to grow in the United States currently. We know this to be the reason because back in WWII the U.S. needed rope, but could no longer trade with Japan and so allowed farmers to grow hemp for the war effort as it is a high-yield, fast-growing crop that makes fine rope. The possession of hemp products is still legal here; the only condition is that it must have be free of THC. However, the amount of THC in industrial hemp is so small that “the only thing you will get from smoking it is a headache.” (Greg Bambaugh). Many people believe and say that the reason it is illegal to grow is due to its similarity to marijuana but, as noted by the first quote, they are different things, and even the USDA knows it; "It's like a Chihuahua versus a Saint Bernard," says David Bronner. (Wells)...
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...Hemp In the entire world, there has never been a plant quite as amazing as Cannabis Sativa. Being the world’s only renewable resource capable of solving many of it’s environmental, psychological, and economic problems, it is of no surprise that the plant has made quite an impact in the discovery of the New World. Cannabis Sativa, also known as; Hemp, cannabis hemp, Indian (India) hemp, true hemp, muggles, weed, pot, marijuana, reefer, grass, ganja, bhang, "the kind," dagga, and herb became an ideal plant to cultivate because of its many fine attributes. Depending on the culture, It’s leaves and flower tops were the first, second, or third most important and most used medicines for at least two thirds of the world’s people for at least 3,000 years. Cannabis hemp is by far, the strongest, most durable, longest lasting natural soft fiber, and the worlds most advanced plant family on the planet. Because it is Dioecious, having male, female and sometimes hermaphroditic qualities, it is easy to grow and cultivate. This tall, woody, herbaceous annual, reaching anywhere from 12 to 20 feet in one short growing season uses the sun more efficiently that any other plant on earth. It can be grown in any climate or soil condition on Earth, and is a premier renewable natural resource. Many countries found the plant appealing because of it’s abilities to flourish in extreme heat. The Arabs discovered that the sticky goo, or Hashish, that covered the flowers and leaves was a natural...
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...April 22, 2014 Hemp The cannabis plant, most commonly known as marijuana does not have the sole purpose to only produce a drug. Hemp comes from the cannabis plant as well but is grown, not for the intoxicating element THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), yet for the hemp fiber it produces. Hemp has been cultivated not only here in the United States but all over the globe dating as far back as 12,000 years ago. In the past our first president George Washington required many colonists to grow and cultivate this plant in order to create materials they needed in the war. Along with Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin reportedly grew hemp too. “Yet it was known to be resourceful by the 1950’s stricter sentencing laws were enforced. By 1970’s in the United states cannabis of any form was illegalized.” (WGBH Educational Foundation). Hemp is cheaper and less damaging to our fragile ecosystem. Hemp can make thousands of products from the most elegant clothing material to the paper which will last hundreds of years. Not only will we be able to create many materials we need and use every day, but the legalization would mean much needed revenue this country needs. It is essential for the United States to completely legalize the farming and production of hemp in order to create and replace important resources. Hemp would have a tremendously positive effect on farming. “Thousands of people a year are diagnosed with cancer due to the pesticides and chemicals we use on our food...
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...Legalization of Hemp Before you can understand my philosophical belief we must first take a brief look at the history of Marijuana and its more resourceful counterpart Hemp. Hemp has uses for over 20,000 things including fuel, food, construction material, clothing, paint, and even making more durable and longer lasting paper. Hemp was so versatile and heavily cultivated that during the mid-1600 to the early 1800’s you could pay taxes with hemp. There was even a law in Colonial Virginia that made it illegal to not grow hemp. Marijuana was a word created around the 1930’s to slander the good name of hemp. Marijuana, otherwise known as hemp, was quickly regarded as evil and eventually became illegal in September of 1937. Why was this plant that was so heavily cultivated seen as violence causing drug? When, it was in fact used in numerous healing products around the world. Why are we still enforcing this barbaric law when our great ancestors cultivated it for thousands of years? After the prohibition law of marijuana was passed it was known to be the root of all evil. People were soon pumped full of yellow-journalism about this miracle plant saying “Marijuana makes people full of anger” during the 1930’s. When communism was beginning to be suspected in America, marijuana was again falsely linked to “Pacifying soldiers and making them not want to fight”. This legalization of Hemp needs to be now. In today’s world there are so many problems that hemp could easily solve. Hemp oil, which...
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...Hemp, Hemp, Hemp. By: Andy Boustany. Lebanese American University. Hemp, Hemp, Hemp. For many years, Hemp served as an industrial sourcing of filament and oilseed. It has been utilized everywhere on the planet to make a mixture of modern and customer like items. Starting today, around 30 nations develop mechanical hemp as an agrarian product, and for exceptional reason for why it does. It is then sold on the planet’s business sector. However in the states, the handling of hemp is strictly viewed by pill authorization laws. Consequently there is no proper viable domestic production and the states, more often, import it instead of processing it on its own ground. Yet there has been an act called the mechanical Hemp Farming Act of 2013 that picked up major consideration in the past couple of months starting this paper, which might prompt the entryway opening of business growth of hemp in the states. Hemp is a greatly flexible plant and is apparently the most adaptable farming product in the known universe. It ought to be learned about fittingly, completely lawful and developed all over the place. Hemp is a subordinate of the old English word “hænep”. The produces and limbs of the plant are all usually termed hemp, some of which incorporate the produces of strand, oil and even seed. Hemp has experienced phases of refinement to make items like hemp seed nourishments, hemp oil, wax, sap, rope, material, mash and even fuel. Historically speaking, Hemp is one of the oldest...
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...Hemp Fabric Hemp-Fashion is not an oxymoron anymore!!! What is Hemp Fabric? Hemp is often considered an environmental “super fibre”. Hemp fabric is made from the fibres in the herbaceous plant of the species cannabis sativa. It’s a high-yield crop that produces significantly more fibre per acre than either cotton or flax. Advantages Eco Print Hemp creates one of the most eco friendly fabrics in the world. Hemp requires no pesticides, crowds out weeds without herbicides, controls erosion of the topsoil, and produces oxygen. It is a renewable resource that can be cultivated in as little as 100 days and is the world’s most versatile fiber. Strong Fabric Hemps’ tensile strength is eight times that of cotton fibre which accounts for its historical use in sails and rope for the British and American Navies. It is an exceptionally durable and strong eco friendly fabric. Hypo-allergenic Fabrics made from hemp are hypo-allergenic and non-irritating to the skin. Current tests indicate that hemp is able to kill staph and other bacteria that come in contact with its surface. Feel of Fabric Hemp has the look of classic linen and can have the feel (depending upon fabric blend) of your favourite flannel. Hemp materials will also soften with age and with each washing. Great for hot weather Like linen and cotton, hemp is a cool choice for summer. It breathes well. It is recommended for warm, humid climates as the fabric resists mildew and absorbs moisture. UV Resistant...
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...Memorandum Industrial Hemp Introduction Would you not think it to be logical that if there was a plant that could save the environment, that it would be legal to cultivate? Well, the miracle plant hemp possesses all the characteristics to benefit our society in many ways from the production of clothes, to alternative, more efficient forms of energy, yet it remains illegal to produce in the U.S. Hemp can be used for so many different things that are better that and more environmentally friendly than what we are using today, and this displays why the cultivation of hemp should be legalized. Background I bought a backpack last year which was made almost entirely of hemp, which led me to become more curious about this plant which is most often associated with a drug. I started to do more research about this plant to become informed of its many uses and found many interesting facts about the utility of hemp in many aspects of modern day life. The only problem with this plant is that it is not legal because it is related to the drug marijuana, but what people don’t know that they are two completely different plants. There are many different uses for hemp; the two largest being paper and clothing. We are cutting down so many trees in our forests to make paper with when we could just grow hemp that grows in almost any condition and up to four times faster than our current resources, meaning that we would be able to supply more paper while using less resources in a more cost...
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...greater service than recreational use. Industrial hemp is extremely useful and unlike marijuana it contains very low amounts of THC, which cannot be used as a drug. Both marijuana and hemp come from a similar strain of cannabis. Before the 1950’s, hemp was completely legal throughout the United States, and saw its glory days during World War 2. Afterwards, cannabis was criminalized in the United States, in the early 1950’s after people discovered a different use for the plant. Since then hemp has been masked by marijuana...
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...controls the regulation. Explain why this agency and your proposed regulation interests you (briefly). The Oregon Department of Agriculture Laws Authorizing Commercial Hemp Cultivation Year Passed: 2009 Summary: The Oregon Legislature approved Senate Bill 676 which "Permits production and possession of industrial hemp and trade in industrial hemp commodities and products." (norml.org) 2. Will this proposed regulation affect you or the business in which you are working? If so, how? This bill affects me as a citizen, a teacher, a mother and as an environmentalist. In each role, I have a vested interest in the state's economic health and outlook. Several Oregon-based companies (Living Harvest, The Merry Hempsters, Wilderness Poets, Earthbound Creations, Sweetgrass Natural Fibers, Sympatico Clothing, Mama's Herbal Soaps and Hempire.) have been growing hemp food and body care products that are estimated to be $113 million in North American annual retail sales by the Hemp Industries Association (HIA). (Strutton 2009) The HIA estimates the 2008 annual retail sales of all hemp products in North America to be about $360 million. By allowing U.S. farmers to once again grow hemp, legislators can clear the way for a "New Billion-Dollar Crop." By allowing Oregon farmers (and currently unemployed loggers) to grow hemp has a strong chance of increasing the economic health of Oregon. The problem lies with the Department of Agriculture. They refuse to move forward with the bill (that was...
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...Hemp: A Truly Green Solution By Dave Evans One of the biggest and longest-running debates amongst the people of the United States has been related to marijuana. In the eyes of some, the plant is a harmful drug that belongs on the controlled substances list, being responsible for not only general teenage laziness and apathy, but also found in correlation with car accidents and deaths across the nation. To others, the plant is as sane a recreational substance as alcohol, made illegal due to political leaders’ interests in the lumber industry, and also a taxable commodity that can add exponential revenue to our economy. The outlawed drug is finding its way into hospitals and head shops in numerous states, some citing medicinal purposes, while others continue pushing for blanket legalization of the substance. However, catching a buzz isn’t the only thing the cannabis sativa plant has to offer our economy. According to the North American Industrial Hemp Council, hemp, the natural fiber product of the cannabis sativa plant, is a renewable and eco-friendly crop. It grows quickly, and doesn’t need herbicides or pesticides to develop. Hemp is not psychoactive; that is, you can’t get high off of it. The NAIHC cites that in order to induce even mild intoxication from hemp, one would have to ingest an amount equal to 2 or 3 doses of a high-fiber laxative. However, the United States remains to be the only industrialized nation in which growing industrial hemp is illegal, as are all...
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...upon a living thing. Breaking the recreational drug into a more complex version will result in 'hemp' or classified by the US government as a "Schedule 1 controlled substance drug". Along with it's 50,000 possible beneficial uses of the plant, hemp is considered to be the most essential cash crop and indispensible to the strength of the economy. One may ask the vital question, "Why is hemp illegal?" People too often refer to the dangers of cannabis's indigenous outcome, categorized as marijuana. Although...
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...Industrialized Hemp: A Revolutionary Idea PHL 354 Dr. Ozar Decmeber 16, 2010 Abstract: This paper will focus on the potential benefits that legalizing and producing (or “large-scale production of”) industrialized hemp could have on the environment and possibly the economy of the world. I shall argue that the United States should set a precedent and legalize industrialized hemp in order to hopefully spur on similar actions by other countries and world powers across the globe. I will begin by explaining a few of the beneficial uses of industrialized hemp in order to strengthen the case that will be presented in the latter part of the paper. Although the production of hemp has typically been looked down upon, it could in fact be the very thing we need to solve the ecological problems we currently face. I believe that allowing for the growth and sale of industrialized hemp could revolutionize the world and could ultimately save the environment and benefit all of the environmentally unfriendly industries across the world. I will examine the use of hemp to create textiles, renewable fuels, biodegradable plastics, paper, health foods, medicine, etcetera. The legalization of hemp cannot move forward unless we are willing to reexamine and reformulate our societal values. The modern system of agriculture has caused more problems than it has solved over the past few decades. Thus, I will be examining the legalization of hemp in the context of a postmechanistic concept...
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...Craig Borski Legalizing Marijuana: Could It Help Society? Living in Colorado for the past year has brought up much controversy about the legalization of marijuana. Many argue that the legalization of marijuana is detrimental to our society. It can be argued that it is a “gateway drug”, that marijuana could lead to more incidences of drug-related incidences, and that if it is legalized it can be more easily attained which will lead to more abuse of the drug. On the other hand, the legalization of marijuana will improve society. The legalization of marijuana will lower violence and crime rates, will stimulate the economy, and will be a safer drug than those already legalized, such as tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana is most often argued that it should remain illegal. It is argued that it is a “gateway drug” which leads into hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and meth. Some believe that marijuana users can build up a tolerance to the drug, which will then lead them to other drugs in search of a better “high”. However, this is not particularly true. “Marijuana itself does not lead the person to the other drugs; people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings.” (On the Road to Drug Abuse). Other arguments in favor of marijuana remaining illegal is that it will be easier accessible and will therefore be more abused, and that is could lead to more deaths and crimes. Like anything else, if cannabis is abused it may have some of these consequences. However...
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...(Legalizing Hemp) Using Hemp to Boost Kentucky’s Economy It’s no secret the economy is failing. On both a state level and national level, but what Kentuckians don’t realize is how easy it would be to fix our economy. Since the decline of tobacco production in the state of Kentucky, producers have been forced to do two things. Either replace their tobacco and find a new crop to plant or get a new job and stop producing anything. However, with my solution the need to replace tobacco can be filled and the economy can grow. But how can we save a dying economy? Simple, we replace tobacco with industrial hemp. Industrial Hemp production will boost the economy, replace tobacco, and provide a stable income for Kentucky Producers. In order to be able to produce industrial hemp in Kentucky, we first must legalize it. To help legalize industrial hemp we have to be able to connect with members of the media along with lawmakers to explain why industrial hemp is necessary to re-build Kentucky. I propose that Kentuckians encourage local representatives, senators, congressmen/women etc. to vote to allow the legal production of industrial hemp in Kentucky and the United States. Recently, the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, James Comer, has been working hard to legalize industrial hemp. In February of 2013, the industrial hemp bill passed the Kentucky Senate and then moved to Kentucky Legislatures. In March of 2013, Kentucky Legislatures passed the regulation of industrial hemp in Kentucky...
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...The World’s Most Understood Crop: Industrial Hemp and its Economic Benefits When most people hear the word hemp the first thing that comes to mind is marijuana. While hemp and marijuana are of the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa, they are different plants with their own chemical makeup. Hemp has been known as one of the world’s greatest agricultural crops of all time with a wide variety of uses. Unfortunately the United States still sees hemp as drug and the manufacturing of hemp is still illegal today. The United States is outlawing one of the most economically beneficial and functional crops of all times because of its cousin marijuana. Hemp was the world’s greatest agricultural crop for more than 1000 years before Christ until 1883 AD (Herer). The manufacturing and cultivation of hemp has been used for thousands of products and many different industries including producing a majority of the world’s fabric, fiber, oil, paper, and even food. The earliest known fabric was made of hemp around 8000 BC (Herer). Ninety percent of all ships' sails from at least the fifth century BC until long after the invention of the steam engines in the mid- to late-19th century were made from hemp (Herer). Many of the ships’ logs, maps, and charts were made on hemp paper from the time of Columbus to the early 1900s (Herer). In the first century AD, the Chinese found that hemp paper lasted 50 to 100 times longer than most preparations of papyrus and that it was 100 times easier and cheaper...
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