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 Industrial Hemp - FAQ's January 05, 2006 1:16 AM

Attention Industrial Hemp is not a Drug!Industrial hemp is not marijuana. Industrial hemp and marijuana are cousins -- plant of the same genus and species -- cannabis sativa. industrial hemp contains less than 1% THC (the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana) by definition, which is not enough to induce any psychoactive effects in the user.   Industrial Hemp contains a very high percentage of cannabidiol (CBD), a cannaboid like THC, which blocks the effects of THC. Industrial hemp commonly has a CBD content of 5% or more, which makes the ratio of CBD to THC greater than 5 to 1, which means no one can get anything but a headache and nausea from smoking industrial hemp.   It is ludicrous to state that the legalization of industrial hemp would make it harder to enforce the prohibition of marijuana since a person would have to have a permit to grow hemp and would be subject to inspection. Hemp is grown closely spaced in tight rows to promote the development of the fiber, whereas marijuana is grown in wide rows to promote the development of branching, which creates more flowers or buds. When grown in close proximity, hemp and marijuana cross-pollinate, which lowers the THC content of the marijuana plants.   Growing marijuana plants anywhere near a hemp farm would seem like the worst possible place for hiding the illegal substance, marijuana. In Canada, and the other 32 nations which produce industrial hemp, the authorities have stated that it is quite easy to tell the difference between hemp and marijuana, because of the inexpensive field test available which test THC levels. Also none of these 32 countries have had any problems with their marijuana enforcement because of industrial hemp. To claim anything different is simply a lie.   Why industrial hemp?  Fiber: Hemp is the longest, strongest, most elastic, and most durable fiber in nature. It yields the strongest and most durable fabric, cloth, canvas, cordage, and textiles.   Building Materials: Hemp can make any building material, including fiberboard, flooring, insulation, particleboard, and reinforced concrete which is currently being compressed into foundations which are 7 times stronger than concrete, half as heavy, and three times more elastic, which means that even under extreme pressure hemp buildings will bend, but won't break. Hemp foundations actually continue to get harder and stronger after they set until they petrify into substances as strong as stone.   Fuel: Hemp is the most cost effective and environmentally safe fuel and energy source on the planet, because hemp is the number one producer of biomass in the plant world. Hemp biomass can be converted into ethanol or methanol to fuel cars, into energy to heat homes, and into charcoal, which produces electricity to power factories. Burning biomass for energy, instead of using fossil fuels, would keep the carbon dioxide cycle in balance, thus reducing global warming, instead of contributing to it like fossil fuels do. Also charcoal made from hemp biomass does not contain sulfur, like coal does, which is the cause of acid rain. Hemp energy could make the U.S. less dependent on foreign petroleum, while helping to cure our degenerating environment.   Food: Hemp foods provide complete nutrition, because hemp foods have all the protein, essential amino acids, and eseential fatty acids humans need. One could live on hemp seed alone. Hemp seed oil is also the only natural substance which contains every essential fatty acid, and contains them in the proportions best for the human body. A diet rich in essential fatty acids is one way to ensure health, because these essential fatty acids (EFAs) help to stimulate the immune system, and regulate the body's internal functions.   Body Care: Hemp oil, with its superior EFA content, goes deep into one's skin, helping those cells communicate and rebuilds cell membranes, making one's skin soft and healthy.   Paper: Hemp can be used to make paper more durable and environmentally friendly than paper made from wood. The switch to hemp-based paper could reduce deforestation by half. Hemp paper doesn't require toxic bleaching chemicals and lasts hundreds of years longer than paper made from trees. An acre of hemp will produce from four to ten times as much paper pulp as will an acre of trees, over the period of time it takes pulp trees to grow to maturity.   Plastics and Biocomposites: Hemp can be made into plastics which are biodegradable and more resistant to heavy blows than steel. Plastics are made of cellulose, and hemp has the most cellulose of any plant, 85% in some cases. Currently hemp cellulose is being used as a replacement for fiberglass car parts because hemp Biocomposites are lighter and safer.   Environment: The hemp plant helps to regenerate and detoxify the soil, requires no herbicides or pesticides to grow well, requires only moderate amounts of water, and hemp can grow in all climates and conditions which remain frost-free for 90 days or more a year.   The Economy: The U.S. has imported almost $500 million in 2002, up from $50 million in 1995, and $5 million in 1990. Hemp has a $500 billion estimated worldwide market, which, when tapped into by South Dakota would help reduce the corporate takeover of family farms, and could create thousands of new jobs in SD, and millions of dollars for hard-working Americans.

[from: http://www.hemphasis.net/votehemp2.htm]

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Hemp Food January 05, 2006 7:26 PM

Friday, September 16, 2005

Hemp Food Sales Grow 47% Since Last Year’s Federal Court Victory Over DEA

Vote Hemp

WASHINGTON, DC — New market research obtained by Vote Hemp confirms that in the year since the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) successfully beat the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) attempt to ban nutritious hemp foods, sales of hemp foods have increased by at least 47% overall. The sales data was collected by the market research firm SPINS but under-represents actual sales due to the niche status of hemp foods. Nevertheless, the SPINS report shows that hemp food sales grew by at least $1.47 million to a total of $4.57 million from July 2004 to July 2005.

“Removing the cloud the DEA put on the hemp food marketplace spurred a surge in the supply and consumption of healthy omega-3-rich hemp seed in America,” says David Bronner, Chair of the HIA’s Food and Oil Committee and President of Alpsnack/Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. “By protecting the U.S. market for hemp foods we’ve experienced strong growth.”

“Walk into any health food store and you’ll find an increasing variety of hemp foods,” says Alexis Baden-Mayer, Director of Government Affairs for Vote Hemp. “Americans are looking for healthy alternative sources of omega-3 to supplement their diets due to concerns regarding trace mercury in fish and fish oil supplements. Right now the U.S. marketplace is supplied by hemp seed grown and processed in Canada and Europe, but some members of Congress want to bring hemp farming back to the U.S. The increase in hemp food sales will only help our view that U.S. farmers should be able to supply the surging demand.”

At a Capitol Hill lunch on June 23 to mark the introduction of H.R. 3037, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005, about 100 Congressional staff feasted on Bahama Hempnut Crusted Wild Salmon and Fuji Fennel Hempseed Salad. The five-course gourmet hemp meal was prepared by Executive Chef Denis Cicero of the New York City-based Galaxy Global Eatery.

Hemp Foods are Safe and Nutritious

Hemp seed is one of the most perfect nutritional resources in all of nature. In addition to its excellent flavor profile, the seed meat protein supplies all essential amino acids in an easily digestible form and with a high protein efficiency ratio. But most importantly, hemp seed and oil offer high concentrations of the two essential fatty acids (EFAs) in a perfect ratio of the omega-3/omega-6 acids. EFA’s are the ‘good fats’ that doctors recommend as part of a healthy, balanced diet. This superior nutritional profile makes hemp nut (shelled seed) and oil ideal for a wide range of functional food applications and as an effective fatty acid supplement. Not surprisingly, hemp nut and oil are increasingly used in natural food products, such as breads, frozen waffles, cereals, nutrition bars, meatless burgers and salad dressings.

Eating Hemp Food Does Not Interfere with Workplace Drug-Tests

U.S. hemp food companies voluntarily observe reasonable THC limits similar to those adopted by European nations and Canada. These limits protect consumers with a wide margin of safety from workplace drug-testing interference (see hemp industry standards regarding trace THC at http://www.testpledge.com). The DEA has hypocritically not targeted food manufacturers for using poppy seeds (in bagels and muffins, for example) even though they contain far higher levels of trace opiates. The recently revived global hemp market is a thriving commercial success. Unfortunately, because of their paranoia DEA has confused non-psychoactive industrial hemp varieties of cannabis with psychoactive varieties, and thus the U.S. is the only major industrialized nation to prohibit the growing of industrial hemp.

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Advancement in Hemp clothing February 14, 2006 6:19 PM

About Hemptown Clothing Inc. and CRAILAR

Hemptown Clothing Inc. (HPTWF: OTCB was founded in 1995 in response to the growing demand for environmentally friendly, socially responsible clothing.  Hemptown is developing a revolutionary biotech enzyme fiber process named CRAILARTM in collaboration with Canada's National Research Council and Alberta Research Council. CRAILAR is an enzyme process that easily transforms raw hemp fiber into strong and soft apparel-quality fabric, resulting in a fabric with the economic potential of cotton at an environmentally sustainable level.  In its ten year history, Hemptown has shipped more than 500,000 garments reducing chemical use by 86,634 pounds and saving 452,232,264 gallons of fresh water.  Hemptown respects human rights of employees, the environmental impact of the company's operations and fiscal responsibility to its shareholders. 

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 February 15, 2006 7:23 AM

Sounds like the kind of place I'd want to shop! Just the part that they treat their staff in a decent way is enough for me. They are doing their part, wish that thought could spread...

http://www.hemptown.com/

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