Hemp fiber has been used for 9,000 years, first in China. Its fiber is used
for rope, canvas, clothing, and paper. It is considered the best raw
material for these basic commodities, easy to work with and strong. (in
fact, the word "canvas" is derived from "cannabis.")
When America's founding fathers planned liberation from England they knew
that an independent suppy of fiber for paper, ropes, ship sails, and
clothing was critical. Therefore they grew Hemp with great enthusiasm. Even
the Declaration of Indep endence was written on Hemp paper, and the first
U.S. flags were made of Hemp. Yes, Hemp is as American as Apple Pie, Betsy
Ross, and the American Flag!
Hemp can also be used to make paint, lumber, charcoal, lubricants, batting,
plastics, fuel, and cooking oil. In fact, Henry Ford once made a car that
used Hemp to make body panels and upholstery. Hemp was a significant part of
the U.S. and wor ld agriculture and industry, until being caught in the
rising tide of manufactured sentiment against its cousin, Marijuana, in
1937.
Hemp can be grown all over North America, and grows especially well where
tobacco is now planted. (in our country's early years Kentucky consistently
had the tallest Hemp plants.) Hemp roots help control erosion, it has few
pests and is very ha rdy. Paper from hemp requires no dioxin to bleach it
(unlike wood paper). "Hemp for Victory" was a World War II campaign to get
U.S. farmers to grow Hemp for use in the war effort. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture even made an instructional film for farmers growing Hemp. Today,
domestic cu ltivation of Hemp would improve our economy and environment by
reducing our need for petroleum, trees, and imported textiles.
Hemp Seeds are high in the essential fatty acids Omega-3 Linolenic Acid and
Omega-6 Linoleic Acid, and Super Omega-6 Linoleic Acid, in "Nature's perfect
balance" (according to Dr. Udo Erasmus). They also contain 23% complete
protein, and 35% fi ber. Hemp Seeds make superior bird seed and have been
imported foryears by seed companies (of course, the seeds must first be
sterilized by exposure to 160 F degrees steam for 5 minutes in order to be
legal). The seeds contain no T.H.C.
Foods made from Hemp are usually snacks that contain whole Hemp Seeds.
However, Sharon's Finest of Santa Rosa California, is using the Hemp Seeds
in the same way they have used soybeans for 14 years. The firm produces
HempRella (TM) cheese alte rnative containing 5% milled Hemp Seeds (similar
to their TofuRella¨ cheese alternative) and Hempeh (TM) Burger, which is a
soybean-and-rice tempeh burger that contains 10% whole Hemp Seeds. The
future of Hemp Foods lies in using Hemp Seeds to make a n emulsion
(analogous to soymilk from the soybean) which can then be used to make milk,
yogurt, ice cream, tofu, cheese, meat alternatives, and the like.
Unfortunately, sterilizing them makes Hemp Seeds much harder to work with
and reduces nutritional value somewhat.
In 1937 Congress passed the "Marijuana Tax Act" without so much as a roll
call vote. The Virginia Law Review called the hearings on the matter a "near
comic example of dereliction of legislative responsibility." It noted that
no primary empirical evidence was presented about the drug ... [only]
hearsay and emotional pleas", and that the law "was tied neither to
scientific study nor law enforcement need." The prestigious law journal
concluded that Congress was "hoodwinked." But why?
Powerful timber and chemical interests had good reason to curtail Hemp,
their most formidable competitor. Working with a California newspaper
publisher who had lost 22,000 acres of timber land to Marijuana-smoking
Mexican Revolutionaries, the f ix was in. Fabricated and exaggerated stories
were published about the "killer" weed Marijuana, and public sentiment
turned. It was then easy to get Congress to ban Cannabis, including both
Marijuana, and its innocent cousin Hemp, with nary a whimper from the public
(bird seed and paint makers were exempted from the law). Aiding from within
the federal bureaucracy was the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, in imminent
danger of having its budget slashed. Its director was able to seize the
threat of this new drug menace to expand its budget and importance. The
dirty deed was done, and not coincidentally soon thereafter Du Pont Chemical
Co. introduced new chemicals to replace Hemp in industry, including Nylon.
In 1970 Marijuana was made a Schedule I Controlled Substance with "no
medical use" whatsoever, unavailable even for legitimate medical use.
In June 1994 President Clinton signed an Executive Order promoting
"strategic commodities," including Hemp. This Order makes official the
federal government's interest in making viable domestic production of
certain commodities that are importe d, so that in the event of war or
shipping interruptions we won't be caught short of products made from those
commodities. The inclusion of Hemp in the Order proves the potential Hemp
has for industry.
Today, there is proof Marijuana is very useful in treating a variety of
medical conditions, and Hemp fiber and seeds can be used widely and
profitably as well. So why are very ill, terminal patients arrested for
using medically-indicated Mariju ana? And why is it still illegal to use
Hemp Seeds if they aren't sterilized, even though viable seeds have no
danger of abuse?