Hemp: The Truth About the Earth's Greatest Plant
In a perfect world there would be a product that could serve as a fuel source, a food source, a paper source, a textile source, and this product would be easy to produce in any of its forms. Believe it or not such a product does exist; it is the plant known as hemp. No tree or plant species on earth has the commercial, economic, and environmental potential of hemp. Over 30,000 known products can be manufactured from hemp.
Hemp was a common crop grown in the U.S. until 1937 when it was unjustly banned. A common misconception about hemp is that it was banned because it was a widely abused, harmful drug. Hemp was banned because it was a competitive threat to the wood industry. Corporations that profited from the demise of hemp spread rumors that marijuana was a major drug problem, which it was not at the time.
They also propagated a campaign that it was a drug that induced uncontrollable violence, another complete falsehood.
Hemp is the plant scientifically known as cannabis sativa. It is referred to as hemp when it is grown for its fibers, stem, and seeds. Its leaves and flowers produce the drugs marijuana and hashish. However, sterile breeds of the plant are still illegal to grow in the U.S. Literally millions of wild hemp plants grow throughout the entire Midwest today. Wild hemp, like hemp used for industry purposes, is useless as an intoxicant. Yet U.S. drug law states that one acre of this can result in the owner being sentenced to death. The death penalty exists for growing one acre of perfectly harmless, non-intoxicating weeds! Hemp can produce any product that paper can produce. The difference is that one acre of hemp can produce four times as much paper as one acre of trees
( a study done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture). Also, a crop of trees takes twenty to fifty years to be ready for harvest where hemp is ready to harvest four times as much in just a year. In addition, hemp produces twice as much fiber per acre as cotton. Twenty five percent of all pesticides in the world are used on cotton, averaging to four pounds of chemicals per acre of cotton in the U.S. every year. Since hemp is a natural repellent to weeds and insects, it needs almost no insecticides or herbicides. If it were substituted for cotton it could greatly reduce the pesticide usage. Again, hemp can produce anything cotton can and what's more it can produce it better.
Cannabis is a Plant, scientifically called Cannabis Satvia L., which is also called Marijuana or (the Hindi name) ?ganja?, as well as common street names such as pot, weed, and skunk, which is a drug, derived from Cannabis which is about two and a half times stronger than traditional cannabis. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, which is ...
Hemp is a type of cannabis plant. When grown for its fiber it can be very useful. Hemp can basically grow anywhere there is sun and rain. Hemp has a wide variety of soil types it can grow on. It also needs good moisture to suck up all the nutrients from the soil. But it cannot have a lot of water or heavy rain because it could damage the plant. Hemp ...
For over seventy years, marijuana has been a growing problem in our society. Due to all of the controversy over this drug, there have been countless battles fought concerning marijuana's capabilities. In the 1930's, a moral panic surfaced with regard to the use of marijuana. The movie Reefer Madness is a perfect example of how the media stereotyped and distorted this new drug in order to construct it as a social problem, convincing society that this narcotic was single handedly destroying humanity.
Sheshadri, T. (2001, December 26). Student recognized for agricultural acumen. The San Diego Union Tribune, N1-4. Retrieved on March 20, 2002 from Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe (Newspapers) on the World Wide Web: http://www.lexisnexis.com/universe.htm.
Hemp was viewed as a threat to several competing industries which caused them to create a smear campaign against hemp. By associating hemp with marijuana and by creating the propaganda film “Reefer Madness” this caused hysteria amongst the population (History of Hemp, n.d.). Hemp prohibition started in the 1930s. Hemp was grouped under the umbrella of marijuana and effectively made illegal under the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. Furthermore, In 1970 Industrial hemp was classified as marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act in spite of decades of government-funded research that identified industrial hemp to have a unique structure and function (Hemp’s History, n.d.). In spite of Hemp being illegal in America, Hemp is legally grown in about 30 countries around the world, with China and France as the leading producers of hemp. Canada our neighbor to the north legalized Hemp cultivation in 1998. Farmers, there must have a licensed and also grow approved low-THC seeds. Hemp grown in Canada has to be tested to ensure they contain less than 0.3 percent THC. This essay will
In 1940, the import of hemp during World War II was a big factor in creating supplies such as parachutes or cordage. In the 1960’s, President Kennedy found from research that marijuana does not induce violence or lead to heavier drug use. George Washington, the first president of our beloved country, grew cannabis on his plantations. Thomas Jefferson also grew hemp as a reliable
There are many different words for what was originally considered, “hemp” to the ancient world. Some are, cannabis, marijuana, weed, and pot. Over time, the different words have reflected the views and uses of hemp through different societies and time periods. Hemp dates back to the early Mesopotamian days in what is considered Turkey today. It is the first known plant to be domestically cultivated. According to research, “The oldest relic of human history is hemp fabric dated to 8,000 BCE.” In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought hemp as a rope to America. His ships were full of hemp fabric used for uniforms, parachutes, ropes, sails, baggage, shoes and many more military uses. To free the American colonies from England press, Benjamin Franklin started a paper mill, which used cannabis to create paper and print books. This allowed America to have free colonial press from Britian without having to ask for them. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both drafted on hemp paper. Betsey Ross made the first flag of the United States of America out of hemp, which was the strongest known fiber at the time. “Farmers from 1942 through 1945 who agreed to grow hemp were waived from serving in the military, along with their sons; that is how vitally important hemp was to America during World War II.” Henry Ford also used hemp-based plastic to create vehicles, which was proven to be stronger and lighter than steel and could withstand much more impact without denting. He also used hemp-based ethanol fuel, which was more efficient. Hemp had been used widely throughout the United States before it became illegal and served many purposes.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines marijuana as, “The dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds” (“DrugFacts: Marijuana”). It was not until the Food and Drug Act of 1906 that marijuana was required to be labeled as an over the counter herbal remedy (“Regulatory Information”).... ... middle of paper ... ...
American colonists planted the first hemp crops near Jamestown, Virginia in 1611 (Mehling, 2003). The hemp was used for a variety of textiles, including sails, ropes, maps and even clothing because of its durability and resilience to mildew. With the New Land having an ideal climate for the growing of the Cannabis plant, King James I of England mandated the cultivation and relied heavil...
The Indian Hemp plant is found all over the world, including. the US. There are three different types of Indian Hemp. They are Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Rudderalis. These three plants vary in size and mood altering effect.
Marijuana has been illegal for less than 1% of the time that it’s been in use (Guither, 2014). Going back to 1619, the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (Block, 2014). It was actually a crime in some states to refuse to grow hemp in the 1700's. In the late 19th century, marijuana was a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies (PBS, 2014). However, in the early 1900’s things changed, a prejudice and fear began to develop around marijuana because it was being used and associated with Mexican immigrants. In the 1930’s, the massive unemployment rates increased public resentment and disgust of Mexican immigrants, which escalated public and governmental concern (PBS, 2014). In 1930 a new federal law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was created. Harry J. Anslinger was appointed the first commissioner of the FBN in 1930 (...
It was 1920 when smoking began to catch on in the United States. Its recreational use was restricted to jazz musicians and people in show business. “Reefer songs” became the rage of the jazz world. Marijuana clubs, called tea pads, appeared in every major city across the country. Authorities tolerated these establishments because it was not illegal or considered a social threat. In the early 1930’s marijuana became stereotyped as a violent drug, and by 1936 was illegal in all states. Marijuana research was at a stand still and the thought of it being a violent drug faded and the idea that it was a gateway drug emerged in the late 1940’s early 1950’s. In the 1960’s marijuana became very popular among the young college crowd. This was looked at as a challenge to authority and the government.
Marijuana is a plant that has always been deliberated by the United States for centuries. On one side marijuana is a harmless plant that brings peace and love to those who use it and on the other side, marijuana is an evil addictive drug that will ruin the lives of users. Before marijuana was outlawed, “George Washington and Thomas Jefferson recommended that the early colonists grow "the abundant weed" and cultivate it into such products as lamp oil, flour and fabric for uniforms and clothing” (Wilke). Hemp is a very useful plant and the founding fathers of the United States told people to grow it because of its versatility. "For decades, our government has been exaggerating the harms of marijuana in order to keep it illegal, The Institutes of Medicine determined that the addictive properties of marijuana are quite mild compared to those of alcohol," (Weise). Alcohol is a substance that can be physically addictive and was outlawed in 1919 until the end of prohibition in 1920. Nixon also started the War On Drugs in June 1971, and...
The first law that regarded marijuana in America required farmers to grow hemp in the year 1619 for clothing, rope, and other materials, but “as early as 1840, doctors recognized the medical applications of marijuana, and the drug was freely sold in pharmacies for over a century.” (Rich and Stingl). In 1937, the use and possession of marijuana was made illegal, but “before 1937 marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and used. ”(Rich and Stingl). In 1970 the Congress decided to classify marijuana as a schedule one drug, which has made the legalization more difficult.