Hemp and History
Until 1883, 75-90% of all paper in the U.S. was
made with hemp.
Hemp seed was the # 1-selling bird feed; 4
million pounds were sold in the U.S. in 1937.
In the mid-to-late 1800's the 2nd & 3rd most
commonly used medications were concentrated cannabis extracts and resins
(a.k.a. hashish).
A bridge in the south of France dated at
500-700 A.D. was built with a mixture of hemp.
In 1941 Henry Ford built a car with a plastic
made from hemp and wheat straw.
Until 1937 70-90% of all rope and twine was
made with hemp.
Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
grew hemp on their plantations.
In 1850 the U.S. Census reported 8,327 hemp
plantation of at least 2000 acres in size. Not counted were thousands of
smaller crops.
The original Levi Strauss jeans were made from
hemp.
In 1942 the U.S. government strongly encouraged
hemp cultivation to help with the war effort, going so far as to produce a
film entitled "Hemp For Victory".
The version of the Declaration of Independence
released on July 4, 1776 was written on hemp.
Hemp and Industry
There are over 25,000 known uses for hemp.
The heating and compressing of hemp fibers can
create building materials superior to wood in strength, quality and cost.
Hemp is heat, mildew, pest, light, and rot
resistant.
Hemp fabric is softer, warmer, more water
resistant and more durable than cotton. Hemp fabric also uses less chemicals
to produce.
Industrial uses of hemp in China date as far
back as 10,000 years.
- Hemp as a Fuel Source
A bio-diesel fuel is one made from hemp oil,
vegetable oil, or other animal fat. The original idea wax developed in 1895 by
Dr. Rudolph Diesel, who developed the first engine than ran on vegetable oil. He
demonstrated the engine at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, France, running
the engine on peanut oil.
Hemp can be blended with diesel fuel in any
ratio or used alone.
Biodiesel fuel is the only alternative fuel
that can be used as-is, in any un-modified diesel engine.
The increased use of biodiesel fuels would
reduce dependence on foreign sources while increasing national agricultural
jobs and revenues.
The flashpoint of petroleum fuel is 125 degrees
Fahrenheit while the flashpoint of biodiesel fuels is 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Biodiesel fuels have been used successfully in
Europe for over 20 years.
Hemp as a Profitable Crop
Hemp is cold hardy, able to withstand even NH
winters.
Hemp is pest resistant ( except from the
2-legged kind)
Hemp is draught resistant
It is estimated that if 6% of the continental
U.S. planted with hemp would provide for all national energy needs.
Hemp has a production rate of up to 10 tons per
acre, every 4 months.
1 acre of usable hemp fiber is equal to the
usable fiber of 4 acres of trees or 2 acres of cotton.
Trees mature in 50-100 years; hemp matures in
as little as 100 days.
The University of Missouri estimates that an
average-size metropolitan area production of 100 million gallons of biodiesel
fuel could generate $8.34million in personal income and 6000 temporary and
permanent jobs. (Ref: National Biodiesel Board)
In 1776 a hemp shirt cost .50 cents to $1.00; a
cotton shirt cost $100-$200
Hemp and the Environment
Biodiesel fuels emit 80% less carbon dioxide &
nearly 100% less sulfur dioxide.
Hemp paper can be recycled up to seven (7)
times; wood pulp paper can be recycled four (4) times.
Hemp fuels do not destroy the ozone layer or
contribute to global warming.
Hemp fuels burn clean; they do not cause acid
rain.
Hemp fuel is 10 times less toxic than salt, and
as biodegradable as sugar.
Hemp and Health
Hemp oil is the highest source of essential
omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which, among other things, help control cholesterol,
arterial blockage and the immune system.
Commonly-known medicinal uses of hemp include:
nausea & vomiting; multiple sclerosis/muscle spasm disorders; spinal cord
injuries; Chron's disease; Alzheimer's disease; Tourette's syndrome; digestive
disorders; glaucoma; asthma; neurodegenerative disorders;
At one time American companies Eli Lily, Squibb
and Park Davis produced cannabis extract medicines.
Hemp and the Law
In 1619 Jamestown Colony, Virginia enacted laws
ordering farmers to grow hemp. Similar laws were enacted in Massachusetts in
1631, Connecticut in 1632 and the Chesapeake Colonies in the mid-1700's.
In England, foreigners were awarded with
citizenship if they grew cannabis; those who refused were fined.
From 1631 until the early 1800's, hemp was used
as legal money, with which one could buy goods and pay bills.
Hawaii is the first state sine the 1950's to
legally plant a hemp crop.
Hemp and the Arts
"Alice in Wonderland" was originally printed on
hemp paper. It's author, Lewis Carroll, was a frequent marijuana smoker.
The paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt
were regularly painted on hemp canvases.
In 1935 116 million pounds (58,000 tons) of
hemp seed was used to make paints and varnishes.
Industrial Hemp Production and US Marijuana Prohibition
During the years 1916-1937, William Randolph Hearst created a yellow
journalism campaign to associate hemp with marijuana. Even though
smoking hemp, like most fibers, will just make you sick, Hearst, along with his friend Pierre DuPont, succeeded in outlawing hemp in America. They actually robbed the world of an environmental cash crop. Why would they do
such a thing? Because instead of using hemp for paper, clothing, fuel,
oils, resins, medicines, and many other uses, we now use trees and synthetic petrochemicals.
Hearst owned huge forests and interests in lumber mills. DuPont made synthetic
fuels and fibers (nylon, rayon, plastics) from petroleum.
- Here are some interesting reads --->
Outline of the
Benefits and Uses of Hemp:
Biomass Hemp
As a biomass, hemp
burns hotter and cleaner than coal.
Hemp biomass can be
converted to methane or methanol
Hemp Paper
Industrial hemp makes
better paper than wood (the US Constitution was printed on hemp).
Hemp Oils
Hemp produces oils
which can replace synthetic solvents for a wide range of uses, including
paints and paint thinners.
Clothing from
hemp
Hemp fibers can be
woven into extremely durable clothing material.
Grows easily
Hemp can be grown
organically in poor soil almost anywhere, up to three crops per year, far more
efficient than lumber.
Hemp is naturally
drought, pest, and disease resistant, eliminating the need for synthetic
chemicals and reducing the demand on dwindling water supplies.
Be sure to see this link ... ThanksEvils in Government
No comments:
Post a Comment