Hemp: The “Holy Grail” for the Environment and the “Savior” of Manufacturing for the U.S.
It is a known fact that hemp can be used for the following:
Fabric BioFuels Construction Materials Wood Replacement Paper Food Medicine
Plastics Pet Food Art Supplies Detergents Body Care Products Automobile Bodies
Just to name a few.
The earliest know record of men cultivating industrial hemp dates back to 8,000 BC where it was part of the textile industries beginning in Europe and Asia. In 100 BC the Chinese invented paper made from hemp and the mulberry bush. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492 using sails, caulking, and rigging made from industrial hemp. In 1564, King Phillip of Spain ordered hemp be grown throughout his empire. The Declaration of Independence is written on hemp paper, and in 1791 President George Washington set duties on hemp to encourage production, with Thomas Jefferson stating hemp was a necessity, and urged farmers to grow hemp instead of tobacco.
Since these earliest known records of hemp, Cannabis sativa has been rightly praised and wrongly vilified in the United States of America. Even though it was not banned from being farmed or from being sold, the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act did levy taxes on any person who dealt commercially in hemp, marijuana or cannabis. It did not criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana, or cannabis for medical or industrial use, but there was a penalty and enforcement provision that made it illegal to possess for any other purpose. Any ‘handler’ of marijuana, cannabis or hemp who violated any of these procedures could be fined up to $2000 and receive up to five years’ imprisonment.
Many have intimated that big business was behind the tax levy on industrial hemp, in particular Randolph Hearst who saw this inexpensive crop as a direct threat to his newspaper industry and his holdings in the timber industry. Against a last minute objection by the legislative council for the American Medical Association Dr. William Woodward, the Marijuana Tax Act was passed. In 1914, 15,000 acres were dedicated to the cultivation of industrial hemp, which was sold for $12.50 per pound. By 1933, only 1,200 acres were dedicated and the price went down to $9.00 per pound. Once this legislation became law, the United States started down the path of looking for alternatives to industrial hemp.
By 1952, with the passage of the Boggs Act mandatory sentencing and increased punishment were enacted, and the once vibrant hemp industry ceased to exist. Many are unaware of our intricate and, some may say, insidious history with industrial hemp, which dates back to as early as colonial times and as late as World War II. The United States Government in 1943 started the Hemp for Victory campaign, urging farmers to grow hemp due to the shortage of this crop from overseas. Yet after the war, the move to completely ban anything cannabis related was in full steam.
Trees and petroleum took the place of hemp, and the environmental affects are still felt today. We’ve had deforestation on a mass scale, oil spills in our waters, and toxins spewed into our atmosphere as we pushed for plastics to be mass produced, all while hemp was banned from being used. The calls for “Drill, Drill, Drill” have been ignored, and we still are too dependent on foreign oil. Canada exports billions of barrels of petroleum to America yearly, and since 1998 they’ve been cultivating industrial hemp. In Calgary, a car company is about to mass produce an automobile body made out of industrial hemp as a replacement for fiberglass. In 2006, cultivation in Canada peaked at 48,060 acres devoted to hemp. Although numbers have decreased in Canada, other countries have joined in the production of hemp, with Romania being its biggest producer in Europe.
Over 30 countries today cultivate industrial hemp, and the United States is the biggest importer of hemp just as we are of petroleum. As the world rediscovers hemp, America sits on the sideline not willing to properly re-classify cannabis sativa and separate it from its THC laden cousin. Although there are states that will issue licenses to grow industrial hemp in the United States, many farmers like those in North Dakota have had the DEA restrict their attempts to obtain a license. Law suits have been in process for years with no resolution as state’s rights advocates petition the DEA to not interfere with state issuance of licenses to farmers.
As a biomass fuel, methanol, more can be produced with hemp than with corn. As a paper, hemp does not need bleaching, only use of hydrogen peroxide to whiten it, nor does it yellow as fast a wood pulp paper. As a food, the only other food product with more protein than the hemp seed is the soybean. As a building product, it’s stronger and lighter than wood due to its high cellulose content. It can be used as fiberglass, plastic, and lubricants. It doesn’t need treatment against insects or fungus and is a natural deterrent of weeds. You can grow more than one crop per year, and it cross pollinates out the higher THC levels in marijuana if attempts to hide this crop amongst hemp are made.
So with all of the good things about industrial hemp, why does America remain ignorant to its benefits? Not only could we improve the environment, we could become foreign oil independent. We could help farmers struggling to keep their farms. We could recreate a textile manufacturing industry and solve our unemployment woes. When will America wake up and seize the Holy Grail and Savior “Cannabis Sativa”? I hope it’s before my time on Earth has expired. Please join with me and Vote Hemp!
http://www.hempusa.org/hmps/articles/hemp-uses.html
http://www.hemphousemaui.com/resources/history.php
Tags: Susanne
Well , just stopping in . It’s very good the shake up , some dialogue , and down to exactly what we mean . no pc . listen well , and say we mean when we speak ? Good night . Good to see Rowe and MK for a bit .
XO gnite
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/22/illegal-aliens-canvass-votes-wash-state/
In Seattle , illegal immigrants influencing the ballot for Patty Murray
Well it looks like Soro’s has bought out NPR and they are doing soro’s bidding now. Soros has always been the puppet master and that is just one of many reasons I left the democratic party back when Kerry was running. I have matured and learned a lot and the dem party has been hijacked by far left progressive socialists. Soros would much rather our country be a communist regime than the republic we are today. He is a foreigner that needs to go back to where he came from. He has bought media matters and npr. He calls the shots and the lies will continue to come.
Barbara,morning,I understand Soros is also connected with TIDES and TIDES are now connected with Huffington Post.Looks like quit a number or sources are connected in all this corruption and intended takeover of the US.My opinion
I saw the Koz is spinning fast .
Morning Robin,saw the same thing . Doubt that the Seattle bit is the full extent of it. Seem there is more and more fraud practiced in our system anymore. Looks like some people will do anything to maintaine control of what ever they wish to.It is a shame that corruption is trying to rule in to many areas of American life.
Morning Dottie and Barb ! I think the Juan Williams firing can do some good in discussions long overdue . About free speech and the way we can talk about challenges that face us .
We started a conversation about some of the elephants in the room . And the ones bringing them up are brave . It had to be done , and its a little funny it is opened with Juan at the center , Probably one the most careful not to offend anyone type person on the news .
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/10/21/giannoulias-continues-repeat-voter-intimidation-charges
What a joke . this D. doing the accusing absolutely has the corrupt chicago Dem machine behind him. I hope he loses !!!! lose !!! Vote Mark Kirk !
OK.. so let’s talk about Healthcare and how it’s not suited for the free market….
I don’t know what to do about healthcare A. I am sure mandating is not what the const. allows . Even if the wording can be exaggerated , or stretched , I know the limited govt. was the spirit of the experiment .
I have done brainstorming with friends , about ideas for afordability . It seems that , it starts to boil down to HC will be expensive . And some will have to have way way less , ” disposable income ” in order to buy the HC they value. For the very poor or disabled , there will be a safety net .
Its a hard problem . I am not against looking at some regulations on both Insurance and doctors hospitals .
Robin ,Barbara, Looks like this with Williams might get the ball rolling to finally start cleaning up the rotten gutter called DC and spread across the country. Will take time,more than I have left , but if the people really want to fight their way through ,they can do it. Honesty,honor and fairplay at the end of that fighting road.
I know I have felt joy , that any grass roots , like the tea party formed , that people cared enough to get up and talk about their part of the national discussion . I didnt know , if we were too far gone into lazy , but , we werent
You are doing your part !
I have to leave again in a bit , if I miss anyone . I will be back later though , promise !
and full moon tomorrow … look for free !
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/292/rare-images-beyond-the-naked-eye.html
Health care ,I really don’tknow the answer,but what is out there now is not the answer. Seems to me we had the best health care and Doctor’s in the world ,just needed a little touch up here and there. The wrong people tried to do the touch ups. It should be the Doctors ,Hospitals and Insurance Co. with the Patient’s care and welfare at the core of it all ,with a win ,win for everyone concerned.The way it looks now most are out for the almighty dollar and the patient be darned.
What was the OATH that Doctors use to take,are they still doing so,are they following that OATH and why shouldn’t everyone connected with Health care swear to and follow that same OATH??? Am I asking for to much or dreaming???????????
I feel this too . It does need the conservative approach , but I dont want to let the free market have it as a luxury . No Govt takeover though , that is worse , and that is the only outcome we have from the HC bill as it stands. see ya D.
later …
But the Doctor’s operating under that Oath wouldn’t be following the Free Market. Where in Capitalism does it compel a business to give away their services?
Must go to the grocery store,back later. Doubt that I will post anymore today. Good day
Friday lets dance ?
http://readysetdance.yahoo.com/?vid=v218709989
here’s my take on it…. In a free market Economic model a business has the freedom to sell or not not to sell things to people.. likewise buyers have the right to buy or not to buy. there’s no coercion either way… But in Healthcare… the buyer really has no choice in an emergency… it’s either I seek medical attention or I die. That sets up an inherant unfair advantage to the Caregiver who then has you over a barrel. That THEN pretty much nullifies the “free Market” model.
aztekclub says:
October 22, 2010 at 7:53 am
OK.. so let’s talk about Healthcare and how it’s not suited for the free market….
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Trying to change the subject?
what subject??? I wanted to talk about HC
And Obama is lying and bringing false charges on the c of c and yet the unions who get a lot of foreign money are out spending them all. Where is the outrage on the presidents part and axelrod also?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/22/public-employees-union-spends-big-save-dems/
Do you have any evidence of foreign money in unions? But aside from that.. I want everyone to be transparent on who donates to them….
So shouldn’t you also be against the Chamber of Commerce as much as you are against the Unions?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soro’s is foreign money and he is part of tides who has ties to seiu and so on and so on.
He’s not though, whether you like it or not. Foreign money = money from a non-American citizen or a business that does not have a brick-and-mortar presence in the USA.
Soros is an American citizen, having naturalized in 1961.
Therefore, your claim that he is donating foreign money is absolutely false.
Soros gets money from the middle east, brazil and mexico. I bet he is using that money to buy off radio stations and elections.
That is correct. I think Soros is vile, but he is a citizen and should be accorded the rights and priveleges of citizenry. Where he gets his money is largely irrelevant, just as it is irrelevant where the Koch Brothers get their money. Assuming of course all sources are legal.
Can you show me the evidence? And yes, I do need to see it in front of me.
Obama and axelrod has made it perfectly clear you can accuse anyone of anything and do not need to have evidence to do it. so no, I will not supply you with any evidence.
Drama Queenie says:
October 22, 2010 at 7:42 am (Edit)
Morning Dottie and Barb ! I think the Juan Williams firing can do some good in discussions long overdue . About free speech and the way we can talk about challenges that face us .
We started a conversation about some of the elephants in the room . And the ones bringing them up are brave . It had to be done , and its a little funny it is opened with Juan at the center , Probably one the most careful not to offend anyone type person on the news .
______
You will be happy to know a new article is up to generate exactly the discussion you are referring to!
New thread guys……………..
aztekclub says:
October 22, 2010 at 8:30 am (Edit)
But the Doctor’s operating under that Oath wouldn’t be following the Free Market. Where in Capitalism does it compel a business to give away their services?
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Why should any business ever be “compelled” to give away their services? Nothing is free. Just because some federal bureaucracy pays though collection of tax dollars, doesn’t make it free. That mind set is what kills economies.
The point being that medical centers HAVE to give away care it’s part of their oath…. that means that they ARE compelled to do something… and the patient is Compelled to buy due to it being a life or death situation…. How does that fit a Free Market model?
what you’re talking about is the actual CARE given by doctors and the care needed by patients. This HC bill doesn’t touch those, it’s about INSURANCE, a product you do NOT have to buy becuz services could be paid for directly in an emergency (whether they were paid for really is another discussion)
I’m talking about whether HC in General is capible of following a Free Market Model…. I say it cannot
They have to provide care in certain situations – that doesn’t mean they have to give it away. Somebody always pays Az. Always.
seniormomentczar says:
October 22, 2010 at 9:22 am (Edit)
Obama and axelrod has made it perfectly clear you can accuse anyone of anything and do not need to have evidence to do it. so no, I will not supply you with any evidence.
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zing!!! like that statement, Barb. Cuts to the heart of all matters political now….and is a REAL problem
seniormomentczar says:
October 22, 2010 at 9:21 am
Soros gets money from the middle east, brazil and mexico. I bet he is using that money to buy off radio stations and elections.
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Can you show me that he got it through other than legal means?