The Case For Hemp
By Harris Sherline
July 20, 2009
For reasons I do not fully understand, Americans seem to have lost the common sense that has always been a hallmark of our culture. Once again, we seem to be routinely shooting ourselves in the foot by adopting public policies that run counter to our own best interests. A good example is outlawing the use of hemp, one of the most beneficial crops in the history of the world, by burdening it with unnecessary and restrictive regulation in the name of fighting the so-called War on Drugs.
Hemp is a harmless plant that is the source of an almost endless list of benefits. Wikipedia notes that it can be used in everything from food products to clothes as well as having multiple industrial or commercial uses, such as "paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel."
China, France and Canada are all major producers of hemp and, although more hemp is exported to the U.S. than to any other country, our government generally does not distinguish between marijuana and a type of hemp that is used only for industrial and commercial purposes.
The North American Industrial Hemp Council, Inc. (NAIHC) notes, "The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies all C. sativa varieties (of hemp) as 'marijuana.' While it is theoretically possible to get permission from the government to grow hemp, DEA would require that the field be secured by a fence, razor wire, dogs, guards and lights, making it cost-prohibitive."
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 "placed an extremely high tax on marijuana and made it effectively impossible to grow industrial hemp...(and) the Federal Bureau of Narcotics lumped industrial hemp with marijuana, as its successor, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, does to this day." As Groucho Marx famously quipped, "Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."
Other facts about hemp offered by NAIHC include:
"Hemp has been grown for at least the last 12,000 years for fiber (textiles and paper) and food."
"Much of the bird seed sold in the US has hemp seed (it's sterilized before importation), the hulls of which contain about 25% protein."
"Rudolph Diesel designed his engine to run on hemp oil."
"Construction products such as medium density fiber board, oriented strand board, and even beams, studs and posts could be made out of hemp. Because of hemp's long fibers, the products will be stronger and/or lighter than those made from wood."
Over 25,000 products can be made from hemp.
"To receive a standard psychoactive dose (of hemp) would require a person to power-smoke 10-12 hemp cigarettes over an extremely short period of time. The large volume and high temperature of vapor, gas and smoke would be almost impossible for a person to withstand."
"Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton."
"Fabrics made of at least one-half hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics."
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