Hemp’s Past Marijuana-Free Future Resource
Marijuana is a black sheep to its big brother, industrial hemp, which ruined hemp’s reputation. The former is illegal and skepticism against hemp is questionable about reasoning of holding back such a historically, versatile plant of the future. Medicinal properties outweigh the recreational drug use. The industrial potential is being blackballed by the oil and pulp-paper industry. Seldom, accusations are quietly made in the face of the oil barrel-bucks that rule the world. Like the hydro-electric car, the potential use of hemp oil scares the world's industrial powers. But first, some background arguing is in order to understand why marijuana is so heavily tied to hemp – in ways other then the bud to the plant.
The ‘powers-that-be’ in pharmacy do not like the idea of using marijuana. Its ability to calm down people would hurt designer drug companies’ hold of the market. The use of marijuana questionably could work on those who suffer from acute anxiety, paranoid tendencies, and Schizophrenia. Questionably to positive affects, as few formal studies are brave enough to be produced. Drug use has more to do with work stress, poverty, dysfunctional families, and depression over weight, and bullying than clinical assumptions of cut and dry psychological disorders. Naturopathic healers are regarded a bit ‘wacko’ for using incense and herbal oils, but by the same doctors who frown upon the undeniable positive healing from acupuncture and chiropractic therapy. Nor is it professionally agreeable to alleviate cancer and AIDS victims' pain by ‘smoking up’. A tightly controlled medical pilot project from Manitoba was cut and the results are not widely published. When Talking to those who were lucky enough to receive medicinal marijuana treatment complain it was not strong enough, yet how can they afford more potent marijuana? Let them suffer when they cannot find energy for employment after chemotherapy or degrading of their immune system? Possession of more then a few small plants is illegal; likely prohibition is supported by the esteemed psychological experts keeping their pharmaceutical prescription bonuses.
Whether marijuana was prohibited like rum in the 1930s, the British Columbia government ignored American threats and decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. Doing so decreased marijuana possession court trials, refocused surveillance to pursuing cocaine and heroine operations, and cutting into profits by drug dealers. The stigma against the drug culture is engrained in the minds of law makers since the early 1950s and 60s when Johnny came marching home from Hawaii and Vietnam ‘high as a kite’. Some suggest that veterans ought to have the right to that relief in regards for the amount of shellshock carnage and psychological, gut-wrenching combat-stress they underwent killing for their country. Rarely have people who are completely stoned been known to rape, loot, and kill in a rage. Someone ‘permefried’ (always stoned) and avoiding ‘flashbacks’ will be more likely to sit at home, sharing munchies with their talking flower pot opposed to rampaging. Could the same be said for those intoxicated with alcohol? Yet, alcohol is readily available for tax dollars to the questionable negative reproductions of over-taxed police forces. Police are frustrated over responding to drunken brawls, spousal abuse, and driving under the influence – accidents which kill more people then guns according to Mothers Against Drinking and Driving advocates. Too much attention goes to American government's war on pre-emptive striking down everyone, but war on Alaskan caribou, Californian hydro debts and lumber is partially from BC politely refusing to back down on the drug issue and off-shoring drilling, though that is a different drum barrel altogether.
What does all of this have to do with hemp though? Because of the halluncagenic properties of the buds, there is much controversy of growing it for industrial purposes. Common myth should be dispelled by the fact that only certain strains of the plant actually have enough THC (chemical compound in marijuana) to affect the mind. ‘Maui Wowie’, ‘Ganja’, ‘BC's Best’, and ‘Jamaican Reefer’ have little in common with industrial hemp in that regard of a good ‘high’. The 0.3% amount of THC in industrial hemp is estimated to require an over fifty foot long high joint cigarette to create a sufficient high. Yet, farmers and law-makers worry that ‘stoners’ would raid their crops and judges refuse to consider hemp crops. If they were to look at the potential of hemp as a profitable resource, it would stun them. Pulp paper, fossil fuels, cotton and synthetic plastic industries would rather it were not known how hemp could completely damage their monopolies. From dollar bills to printer paper and coffee or hepa filters, from clothing to tampons and diapers, and from plastic plates to lighter automotive bodies and rope, hemp is a huge threat to American industry. Even in the food industry, for Californian hemp seed oil companies are finding ways to beat the burger and fries of McDonalds with something much healthier. On top of it all, hemp is so much less damaging to the environment then bleaching paper, evaporating off plastics toxins, and softening cotton. From the Kentucky Farmers' Association advocacy to India's blossoming pulp hemp industry, there are few logical reasons to keep hemp illegal and suppressed.
Let’s not to blame American industry magnates, law makers, or even parents for not looking after their children properly for the drug problem, it would be un-Canadian-ly candid and untactful. Hemp speaks for itself as a more renewable and environmentally friendly resource than lumber, fossil fuels, and cotton ever could become. Warehauser Lumber, DuPont Synthetics, and the Deep South cotton producers know this. If hemp – as moldable as plastic, cleaner burning the propane or diesil, and more durable, supple and warm than wool and silk – were let into the market en mass, the economy would go a bit topsy turvey. Likely, hemp becoming common-place, at worst might result in a temporary stock-holder state of depression. Unlike the 1980s Cold War and hostile company buyouts, the positive repercussions of a hemp industry's introduction could not do that much damage to the new companies that would emerge. Call it a ‘pipe-dream’, but World War II rucksacks and army duffle bags, canvas sails and hemp rope still seem to be in use.
Maybe if as wheat is separated from the chaff, the drug culture from the medical application, and the bud from the hemp, we could work on more pressing social issues with a more enviro-friendly industrial resource base. It is not just ‘tree-huggers’ who are seriously interested in hemp, but government test sites and Asian and European companies are actively investigating this lesser known cousin of marijuana. North American companies might fall behind if their governments continue to withhold hemp from major production. ‘Think-tanks’ might want to rethink their attacks on hemp, as we need to look for solutions and reform.Sources come from several college geography and sociology research projects, interviews with marijuana advocates, Adbusters’ anti-propaganda and other articles; which regrettably have been lost in the recesses of Phil’s mind to the origins of such information. Draft number four.... dam grammical editing.
Some background arguing is in order to understand why marijuana is so heavily tied to hemp - in ways other then the bud to the plant.
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