Hemp Rediscovered Essay, Research Paper
Hemp Rediscovered
?Make the most of the hemp seed and sow it every where,? a quote by
George Washington in 1794 (qtd. In ?Get the Scoop?). In early American
history hemp was an essential crop, it was used to make rope, sails, lamp oil,
and almost anything else. Henry ford built a car out of hemp that ran on hemp
fuel and oil. The original Levi jeans were fashioned out of hemp fibers. And
even the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution
were written on hemp paper (?Get The Scoop?). In fact, hemp was one of the
largest produced crops in the US until it?s demise in 1937 under the Marihuana
Tax Act. This act of Congress was aimed at Americas newest enemy, marijuana or
cannabis sativa C, but the bill also criminalized the cultivation of marijuana?s
cousin cannabis sativa L, commonly referred to as hemp. Hemp had one more day in
the spot light in 1942 when it was called into battle in World War II under a
flag that read ?Hemp for victory? (?About?). The Tax Act was quickly
reenacted after the war and hemp has not been grown legally on American soil
since.
The reason hemp is such a valuable plant, is that it grows fast, dense, and
easily. The germination period for hemp is about one hundred days depending on
the application for which it is being used (?About?). In comparison with
other cash crops this is good, but in comparison with some of the resources it
can replace, such as trees and fossil fuel, there is nothing better. Hemp
provides a much higher yield than other American cash crops, and can be used for
so many things that it?s market value should remain stable with increased
production. Also, hemp can be grown without pesticides and it actually
replenishes the soil so it can be rotated with other crops to produce higher
yields of both (Field 1).
The maintainability of the hemp industry relies on demand, but with hemp?s
25,000 different uses this is no great barrier (?About?). With current
processing technology every part of the cannabis sativa L plant is useful. The
seeds can be hulled and used in food for flavor and as a protein supplement.
These seeds can also be crushed into hemp-seed oil which is used as lamp oil or
as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics and soaps. The leaves are used in
perfumes and powders, and the stalks are processed for fiber products (?Hemp
Knowledge?). Fiber strands processed from the stalk can be made into anything
from textiles to rope or even silk. The coarseness of the material is dependent
on the age and density of the crop (?Endless?). The leftover stalk fragments
are used to produce hemp paper and building materials. These fragments can also
be refined to make paint, sealents, and many of our fuels, such as gas and
charcoal (?Some?).
The most notable uses of hemp in the United States today can be seen in the
clothing and beauty industries. There are several complete lines of personal
care products currently available to consumers. Shampoo, conditioner,
moisturizer, massage oil, and many others can be found using hemp-seed oil. The
key to this is the oils essential fatty acids, which, at first ring, sound like
something you should stay away from but they are very effective in skin and hair
care and can be used as treatments for many topical diseases. There are also
many clothing lines adding hemp to their lineup: Adidas, Ralph Loren, and Calvin
Klien are among the major distributors (?About?). Because of the plants long
fibers the cloths are long lasting and fade resistant. Hemp is also an insular
material, that is, it blocks 100% of the sun?s UV rays (?Endless?).
The two products that have not seen their potential are hemp fuel and hemp
paper. Because of shipping costs of importing hemp the US has not yet introduced
these products to it?s consumers but with widespread cultivation these
applications have the greatest potential. Fossil fuel is a nonrenewable
resource, of which the US has already exhausted over half of it?s reserves.
The answer, of course, is hemp. The US could sustain all it?s petroleum needs
by designating six percent of it?s land mass to cultivating hemp as biomass.
The fuel produced from the hemp?s biomass is nearly as efficient as fossil
fuels in the refining process while cutting pollution. When the fuel is burned
the fuel gives off only the CO2 it has taken from the air resulting in a natural
balance as opposed to the acid rain effect of petroleum based fuel?s CO (?Hemp
For?).
Hemp paper may just be the only thing that can save our forests. 260 million
tons of paper are consumed each year, at this rate all our forests will be
destroyed by 2020 (?Harnessing?). In fact we have destroyed 50% of the
worlds forests in the last 50 years. The hemp industry could alone meet all of
the fiber needs of the paper industry, and crops can be renewed in 100 days in
stead of 100 years. The process to make hemp paper is even environmentally
friendly, it results in only 15% of the pollutants and requires no bleach (?Achieving?).
And because of hemp?s long fibers the paper produced is stronger and longer
lasting. In fact hemp documents have been discovered from Ancient China dating
back as far as 8000 BC (Nix 1).
Still, with the many known uses of hemp, there is a lot of resistance to
re-legalizing the cultivation of cannabis sativa L. All of the objections
publicly stated are based on marijuana control. Legalization of hem falls in the
DEA?s jurisdiction as it has been wrongfully classified as a Schedule I
controlled substance. It is the DEA?s opinion that if hemp cultivation was
legalized it would undermined the United State?s drug policy, sending the
wrong message to kids. The DEA office is also concerned that henp could be used
to camouflage illegal marijuana crops (Stauber 4).
The concerns of DEA and other legislators could only stem from one of two
things: insufficient information on the differences between hemp and marijuana
or outside influence from petroleum and lumber lobbyists. The hemp plant,
cannabis sativa L, and marijuana, cannabis sativa C, are specific plants in the
cannabis genus (Hickey 1). The obvious difference between the two is that hemp
grows tall with wood-like stalks with dark leaves while marijuana is shorter and
dense, normally a much lighter green than the hemp plant. The most significant
difference in current legislation is in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. THC
is the psychoactive ingredient that gives the marijuana plant it?s euphoric
properties (?About?). Marijuana contains anywhere from 2 to 27 percent THC
while hemp contains only .3 percent (?Hemp Knowlwdge?). This in combination
with the coarse smoke of hemp prevents any use of industrial hemp as a drug.
When grown together the plants cross pollinate to weaken the hemp crop and
effectively reduce the THC in the marijuana. A hemp field would be the last
choice of someone trying to grow marijuana, not only because of the THC loss but
because of their different physical properties the only camouflage hemp provides
is that of line of sight.
With countries around the world lifting thier own industrial hemp bans
American farmers are crying out for their piece of the pie. America?s hemp
industry alone yields $50 million per year increasing each year by 50%, which is
still limited by the price of imports. Together with the fact that Canadian hemp
growers, although new to the industry, are netting $200 per acre while American
farmers are barely making $20 per acre on their cash crops, it?s enough to
turn the heads of the agriculture industry. Farmers are begging the government
to "Repeal restrictions on the production of industrial hemp as an
agricultural and industrial product,? as was Montana?s recommendation to
Congress in House Act 2 (?Achieving?). Anyone who cares about the
environment agrees with these farmers. It just makes sense to take advantage of
a crop that has the potential to preserve the environment while saving some
American farms.
?About Hemp.? NORML. 6 December 1999. <norml/facts/hemp.shtml>
?Achieving a Sustainable Planet.? Hemp Times. 2 Dec. 1999.
<hemptimes/library/ecology/index.tpl>
Brandl, Marc. ?A Growing Trend: Hemp Legislation is the hot item these days
in state
legislatures.? The Shore Journal 7 March 1999: 3. 6 Dec. 1999
<shorejournal/9903/mab0307a.html>
?Endless Variety Yet High Quality!? Hemp Times. 2 Dec. 1999.
<hemptimes/library/industry/index.tpl>
Field, Joan S. ?Hemp: Income, Market Questions Remain.? Agri-View. 1 Dec.
1995: 4.
3 Dec. 99. <welcomehome/cohip/PAGES/IND_HEMP/NAIHF.HTM>
?Get the Scoop.? Kenex. 6 December 1999. <kenex/hempfacts.shtml>
?Harnessing Hemp.? Agri-View. 3 Dec 1999.
<welcomehome/cohip/PAGES/IND_HEMP/HARNESS.HTML>
?Hemp for Fuel.? Rev. of Energy Farming in America, by Lynn Osburn.
Fornits. 3 Dec. 1999.
<fornits/curiosity/hemp/biomassa.html>
?Hemp Knowledge.? Hemp Times. 3 December 1999.
<hemptimes/library/knowledge/index.tpl>
Hickey, Joe. ?Kentucky Farmers File Suit Against Federal Government to
Legalize Hemp.? Hemp.
June 1998: 2. 3 Dec. 1999. <ndsn/MAYJUNE98/HEMP.html>
Nix, Steve. ?Pot for Paper.? About. 3 Dec. 1999: 5. 6 Dec 1999.
<forestry.about/education/forestry/library/weekly/aa101297.html>
?Some Facts About Hemp.? Xpoint. 3 Dec. 1999.
<user.xpoint.at/r.fellner/hemp_e.html>
Stauber, Karl. ?Industrial Hemp and Other Alternative Crops for Small-scale
Tobacco Producers.?
Agri-View. 1995: 4. 3 Dec. 1999.
<welcomehome/cohip/PAGES/IND_HEMP/USDA95.HTML>
Другие работы по теме:
Индийская комиссия по препаратам конопли
(Indian Hemp Drug Commission, 1893—1894) была проведена по инициативе двух депутатов парламента Великобритании, которые требовали ввести в индийских колониях запрет на производство и продажу психотропных препаратов из конопли.
Legalize It Essay Research Paper Scott NorrisEnglish
Legalize It Essay, Research Paper Scott Norris English 112 Shelia Bennett March 14, 2000 Legalize It No man should have control about something he or she did not create, but that God created. We have minds, and we will choose for ourselves, whether or not we like it. Marijuana has an excellent medical forte.
Marijuana Yes Or No Essay Research Paper
Should Marijuana be Legalized? Abraham Lincoln once said, Prohibition makes crimes out of things that are not crimes. This is true with the prohibition of marijuana: the use of marijuana should not be a crime, but prohibition makes it one. The real crimes being committed are those by the government. The spend billions of our tax dollars every year in the war against marijuana, lie to us about the harmful effects, and deny sick patients the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Marijuana Essay Research Paper For many years
Marijuana Essay, Research Paper For many years the legalization of marijuana has been debated all over the world. The use of marijuana has been used for recreation and medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The hemp plant, the source of the drug hashish, is one of the commonest weeds in the world. There is little danger that it will seriously promote the drug habit.
Cannabis Sativa Essay Research Paper Cannabis is
Cannabis Sativa Essay, Research Paper Cannabis is marijuana or any other substance derived from the hemp plant. The plant has many different uses from Hemp products to medicinal purposes. This paper will talk about the plant as a whole and it’s usefulness.
Hemp The Truth About The Earth
’s Greatest Plant Essay, Research Paper Hemp: The Truth About the Earth’s Greatest Plant In a perfect world there would be a product that could serve as a fuel
Marijuana Essay Research Paper Marijuana mixture of
Marijuana Essay, Research Paper Marijuana, mixture of leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis sativa, smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. The psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is concentrated in the flowering tops; hashish, a drug prepared from the plant resin, has about eight times more THC than marijuana.
Marijuana 2 Essay Research Paper MarijuanaMarijuana is
Marijuana 2 Essay, Research Paper MarijuanaMarijuana is the name given to any drug made from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Different forms of this drug are known by different names all around the world. Some of these names are kif in Morocco, dagga in South Africa, and ganja in India. In the last decade marijuana has gotten many street names like grass, pot, tea, reefer, weed, and Mary Jane.
Cannabis Hemp Essay Research Paper Why is
Cannabis Hemp Essay, Research Paper Why is it that the one plant that could save our planet from certain environmental destruction is illegal in our country? The Cannabis plant is grown legally for hemp in many countries around the world and yet the government of this country continues to view it as a dangerous plant.
Hemp MiraclePlant Essay Research Paper Is there
Hemp Miracle-Plant Essay, Research Paper Is there a single plant that could possibly save the world? Because of its vigor and adaptability, it was amongst the first plants to be cultivated by humans and has been used and grown by many cultures for thousands of years. Yet, today people are fined, even jailed for growing this plant because it is illegal.
Marijuana Legalization Essay Research Paper I personally
Marijuana Legalization Essay, Research Paper I personally don?t smoke marijuana I?ll admit I tried it once but quickly rethought my decision after having the feelings that my lungs were going to collapse and my throat was on fire. However I have more friends that partake is smoking marijuana than not, in truth at least 75% of my friends are smokers.
Creative Story The Chronic Swamp Murders Essay
, Research Paper Creative Story: The Chronic Swamp Murders One day while Joe and Jill Hemp were walking through Chronic swamp they came across a trail of blood in the water. They followed the trail until it
Legalize The Weed Essay Research Paper Marijuana
Legalize The Weed Essay, Research Paper Marijuana is the flower of the cannabis plant, and if smoked, gives the smoker an euphoric high, but really has much more to offer than just the high. Using marijuana and the growing of hemp are presently illegal in the United States, with the exception of medicinal uses in some states.
The Coming Food Crisis Essay Research Paper
China has big problem with its food production and providing it for its people. People have resorted to rice husks, hemp leaves, grass soup, toads, rats, body lice, and even their own dead. Many moves toward industrialization have put China behind in its production of food for its people. These moves toward industrialization have taken farmers off their fields and into industrial factories.
Up In Smoke Essay Research Paper UP
Up In Smoke Essay, Research Paper UP IN SMOKE Cannabis has been one of the most controversial and most misunderstood genus of the plant kingdom. Used for a number of things
Marijuana Essay Research Paper Marijuana PlantMarijuana also
Marijuana Essay, Research Paper Marijuana Plant Marijuana, also called hemp, bhang, and ganja, is used as an intoxicant in many parts of the world, the leaves or dried flowers being either smoked or eaten. It has also been used as a sedative and analgesic. Hashish, a resin obtained from the top of the flowering plant, is five to eight times more potent than the leaves when smoked.
Marijuana Essay Research Paper MarijuanaBetter Kept IllegalMarijuanaColliers
Marijuana Essay, Research Paper Marijuana Better Kept Illegal Marijuana Collier?s Encyclopedia defines marijuana as a crude drug composed of the leaves, stems, and flowering buds of the Indian hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The flowering tops of the plant secrete a sticky resin that contains the psychoactive material for which marijuana is used.
Marijuana 3 Essay Research Paper Marijuana has
Marijuana 3 Essay, Research Paper Marijuana has been used as a drug since the beginning of time, yet there are still many mysteries about its health effects on humans. Marijuana, or cannabis sativa, is a preparation of the crushed flower or buds of the female hemp plant. The existence of the plant has been reported as early as 1500-2000 BC in China, and cannabis has been described as an analgesic as early as 200 AD.
Legalizing Marijuana Essay Research Paper Legalizing marijuana
Legalizing Marijuana Essay, Research Paper Legalizing marijuana What this can’t be true, marijuana can’t be good for you it causes asthma and bronchitis. Oh wait I almost forgot thats just another misconception of marijuana in truth it is actually good for people suffering from asthma and bronchitis. Yeah right, this wonder of a drug isn’t only not bad for you, but it can actually promote good health.
Hemp Essay Research Paper Hemp Hawaii
Hemp Essay, Research Paper Hemp: Hawaii fs Future Industry Hawaii fs economy is based primarily on the tourist industry. But, there is another industry that can do even better, the hemp industry. Hemp is a tall, fast-growing plant, or scientifically, the Cannabis sativa L. Many people confuse hemp with the drug-type of this plant.
Agricultural Hemp Essay Research Paper THE NEW
Agricultural Hemp Essay, Research Paper THE NEW GLOBAL HEMP INDUSTRY Industrial hemp is similar to marijuana, but has only a tiny amount of Tetrahydro Cannabinol, or THC, the ingredient that produces a high. Industrial hemp could even hurt
Marijuana Should Be Legalized Essay Research Paper
Should Marijuana be legalized? Affirmative We need fuel! We need paper! People are starving! The answer to these problems is grow more pot. If we really want to save the rain forest than that is the answer.
Marijuana Legalization 2 Essay Research Paper Marijuana
Marijuana Legalization 2 Essay, Research Paper Marijuana: The Legalization? Marijuana is the focus of more debate today than any other drug. The on-going debate has intensified greatly since the propositions passed in Arizona and California that allow the legal use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Alternative Fuel Source Essay Research Paper In
Alternative Fuel Source Essay, Research Paper In one year, America will have exhausted 80% of her petroleum reserves. Will we then go to war with the Arabs for the privilege of driving our cars? Will we strip-mine our land for coal and poison the air we breathe to drive our autos an additional 100 years? Will we raze our forests for our energy needs? I certainly hope our country will never come to those conclusions.
The Advantages Of Being Legal Essay Research
Paper The Advantages of Being Legal Matt Streett English 102~D There are many arguments on the question of whether or not to legalize marijuana. The benefits of legalizing marijuana include its medicinal value and
Hemp Proves To Be Beneficial Essay Research
Paper Hemp Proves to be Beneficial Researching hemp I have found that there are many more benefits in legalizing it, then there are keeping it illegal. When interviewing people I found that the majority of the people who know the difference between hemp and marijuana agreed that it should be legalized and if they didn?t I informed them on hemp they agreed it should be legalized.
Mary Jane Essay Research Paper Mary JaneLegalization
Mary Jane Essay, Research Paper Mary Jane Legalization and or decriminalization of marijuana has been sought after, unsuccessfully, for the last 62 some-odd years by an ever-growing number of people. These people stem from all walks of life from high school kids to top-level business executives to doctors to musicians and actors to senators and politicians.
Should Marijuana Be Legalized Essay Research Paper 2
Should Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay, Research Paper Should Marijuana be Legalized? Aaron Roberts Mr. Marshall 4/5/00 Marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana s composition is complex, and has a number of physiological effects. Also, a reason for marijuana legalization is the potential wealth of health benefits that have largely been ignored (www.howardcc.edu).
Legalize Industrial Hemp Essay Research Paper Legalize
Legalize Industrial Hemp Essay, Research Paper Legalize Industrial Hemp It?s time to do something about it! Our government has kept it away from us for long enough. The hemp plant is a misunderstood natural resource that if
Legalize Hemp Essay Research Paper Legalize HempLegally
Legalize Hemp Essay, Research Paper Legalize Hemp! Legally defined, marijuana consists of the dried leaves and flowers of the plant Cannabis sativa. Cannabis is one of the most ancient and historically important of cultivated plants. Hemp or Cannabis has been cultivated for at least 6000 years (Frank 3).