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05/02/2008 12:38:00 PM · #1 |
Would the US benefit from a plant that could be used for fuel, food, clothing, plastic, and more?
Some interesting reading:
really?
Heck, why not?
Maybe!
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05/02/2008 12:43:30 PM · #2 |
I always get a kick out of people on the college campuses pushing the benefits of hemp. Hemp is fine, but it's no wonder plant and no better than many other already cultivated crops. My guess is if you couldn't smoke it, 95% of the people dedicated to seeing it used would disappear.
Just my opinion...
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 12:45:30.
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05/02/2008 12:55:59 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
I always get a kick out of people on the college campuses pushing the benefits of hemp. Hemp is fine, but it's no wonder plant and no better than many other already cultivated crops. My guess is if you couldn't smoke it, 95% of the people dedicated to seeing it used would disappear.
Just my opinion... |
That's not entirely true DrAchoo. Hemp has other benefits like no pesticide or herbicides to keep them growing in good health, essentially, hemp is a weed and we all know how weeds love to grow without any help from us. I would say that most potheads know that hemp is not smokable. It's the cotton lobby groups that do not want hemp around. It's much cheaper to grow but the investment to start is pretty hefty.
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 12:56:28. |
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05/02/2008 12:58:36 PM · #4 |
Darn...beat me to it Jac!
It is surprising how many people confuse Hemp with Marijuana.
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 13:00:26. |
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05/02/2008 12:59:29 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Jac:
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
I always get a kick out of people on the college campuses pushing the benefits of hemp. Hemp is fine, but it's no wonder plant and no better than many other already cultivated crops. My guess is if you couldn't smoke it, 95% of the people dedicated to seeing it used would disappear.
Just my opinion... |
That's not entirely true DrAchoo. Hemp has other benefits like no pesticide or herbicides to keep them growing in good health, essentially, hemp is a weed and we all know how weeds love to grow without any help from us. I would say that most potheads know that hemp is not smokable. It's the cotton lobby groups that do not want hemp around. It's much cheaper to grow but the investment to start is pretty hefty. |
Actually, most of the "potheads" (as you call them) that I know don't seem to know that. They think that by allowing hemp to be grown as a crop, they will be free to smoke at will (as much as they want, when and where they want). |
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05/02/2008 01:09:12 PM · #6 |
lol Karmat. How old are your pothead friends? Mine are in their late 30's and up and have college degrees as engineers and doctors. I can understand how a young 16 year old may think that but all in all here in Canada we have a more open understanding, generally, of what the difference is between industrial hemp and marijuana. This is not a dis at you or the US, only a fact that is even stated in one of the articles above. In Canada, Hemp is not a drug where in the US it is still classified as an illegal substance. I laugh whenever I see that. It's like the FDA is saying cotton kills so don't smoke it.
Someone should find a way to make socks out of tobacco while tobacco is still legal. |
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05/02/2008 01:14:09 PM · #7 |
busted -- high school and college.
Even in my discussions with them, though, they used "crop hemp" as one of their justifications for legalizing marijuana.
"No, really, Mrs. Shuford. Marijuana should be legal because hemp is good and can be used for a lot of stuff."
"Such as. . ."
"Well, you know, necklaces and stuff."
Admittedly, I have always worked with "high risk" populations, so perhaps my perspective is skewed. :)
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05/02/2008 01:15:12 PM · #8 |
Just some fun factoids...
Hemp...Illuminating
Pops has hemp sandals he's had for years and they are wearing like iron. Comfy, too! |
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05/02/2008 01:17:40 PM · #9 |
Damn, thats why that joint didnt work
hehehe JK
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 13:17:50. |
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05/02/2008 01:24:04 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by karmat:
busted -- high school and college.
Even in my discussions with them, though, they used "crop hemp" as one of their justifications for legalizing marijuana.
"No, really, Mrs. Shuford. Marijuana should be legal because hemp is good and can be used for a lot of stuff."
"Such as. . ."
"Well, you know, necklaces and stuff."
Admittedly, I have always worked with "high risk" populations, so perhaps my perspective is skewed. :) |
lol that goes on here too, they're young, let's hope they meet up with Mr. Knowledge one day.
Maybe someone should buy them a really big bag of hemp and let them smoke it for a weekend, i'll supply the tylenol. |
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05/02/2008 01:50:30 PM · #11 |
The arguments for it just seems stretched and so I assume there is an ulterior motive. Take this example from the wiki for hemp...
"Furthermore, Hemp could be used to replace many potentially harmful products, such as tree paper (the process of which uses bleaches and other toxic chemicals, apart from contributing to deforestation)..."
a) tree paper uses bleach to make paper white. Hemp would do exactly the same if you wanted white paper. If you want yellow paper you don't need bleach for either process.
b) hemp could contributed just as much to deforestation if trees are cut down to grow hemp. Where is the hemp going to grow? A large portion of paper pulp comes from already cultivated trees for that exact purpose. This picture, in fact, was taken in one of those stands. The poplar trees grow fast and are used for pulp to make newspaper and other paper goods.
Anyway, as I said, this is an example where the benefits of hemp are vastly overstated. My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads.
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05/02/2008 02:04:17 PM · #12 |
"Hemp paper doesn’t require toxic bleaching chemicals. It can be whitened with hydrogen peroxide, which doesn’t poison waterways as chloride and bleach--the chemicals used in making wood pulp paper--do.
Paper made from hemp lasts hundreds of years longer than wood-pulp paper, which decomposes and yellows with age. Hemp paper resists decomposition and does not yellow with age.
The Library of Congress found that, “While the hemp paper in volumes 300-400 years old is still strong, 97% of the books, printed between 1900 and 1937 on tree paper, will be useable for less than 50 years.” Hemp paper can be recycled 7 to 8 times, compared with only 3 times for wood pulp paper.
The USDA reported in 1916 that an acre of hemp produced as much paper as four acres of trees annually , yet 70% of American forest have been destroyed since 1916."
//www.hemphasis.net/Paper/paper_files/hempvtree.htm
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05/02/2008 02:06:39 PM · #13 |
There are some great links posted here with a great deal of info on the topic. The fact is that our close neighbor Canada has benefited greatly from allowing this. If we believe is having a free market in this country, it makes no sense to outlaw something that in the beginning actually led to our ultimate success.
Canada's industrial hemp info web pages
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Anyway, as I said, this is an example where the benefits of hemp are vastly overstated. My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads. |
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05/02/2008 02:07:25 PM · #14 |
In the UK there are numerous farms that are growing hemp. Smoking commercial hemp is just not an option, a ten acre field crop wouldn't even get your toes to curl, although you would probably puck!
It is used for making interior panels for cars, clothes and as a building material, being sprayed onto a timber frame then sanded down smooth. It has huge insulation properties.
There is a great future for the hemp farmers, although they have to be careful where they grow it. One farm had fields of hemp growing close to a Motorway and cars began stopping and people jumped out to fill plastic bags with the stuff. |
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05/02/2008 02:10:58 PM · #15 |
And we shouldn't allow poppy seeds on bagels because it will encourage the heroine addicts.
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads. |
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 14:12:27. |
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05/02/2008 02:16:14 PM · #16 |
I've been a huge hemp advocate for years, ever since two of my friends started a small hemp store here in town. They were always coming over, bringing me samples and books and videos. It's uses are absolutely remarkable and there are so many. IMO, there is not one logical reason why hemp should stay illegal.
ETA... on a side-note, my friends' store is doing wonderful, in fact it's become a small chain.
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 14:17:20. |
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05/02/2008 02:16:30 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads. |
That doesn't quite follow.
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05/02/2008 02:20:47 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by Louis:
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads. |
That doesn't quite follow. |
Look at the link bergiekat posted. That has been the type of stuff present to me over the years. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised at the many uses and relatively harmless-ness of hemp. Yet, many many proponents of hemp bring in the "smoking marijuana" (it's harmless, it has medicinal uses [yes, but smoking anything is not good for you]) part of it as one of the reasons it should be legal. THAT in my opinion, is where most of the opposition comes from.
Most, if not all, of the people I've ever met and known personally wanted to legalize hemp for one reason -- legal marijuana -- to smoke and use at will. They are not helping "hemp's cause" at all.
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 14:22:44. |
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05/02/2008 02:28:39 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by karmat:
Originally posted by Louis:
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
My guess is that even though people might know you can't smoke it, it will only confuse the subject if it were allowed and encourage the potheads. |
That doesn't quite follow. |
Look at the link bergiekat posted. That has been the type of stuff present to me over the years. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised at the many uses and relatively harmless-ness of hemp. Yet, many many proponents of hemp bring in the "smoking marijuana" (it's harmless, it has medicinal uses [yes, but smoking anything is not good for you]) part of it as one of the reasons it should be legal. THAT in my opinion, is where most of the opposition comes from.
Most, if not all, of the people I've ever met and known personally wanted to legalize hemp for one reason -- legal marijuana -- to smoke and use at will. They are not helping "hemp's cause" at all. |
My quarrel is with the corrupt logic that states, people know you can't smoke it; make it illegal to discourage people from smoking marijuana. It doesn't follow that one should proscribe the use of agent A because it resembles, but is not identical in its impact, to agent B, irrespective of what person or group advocates the use of agent B. It is, in fact, exactly the same argument as the poppyseed example made earlier. |
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05/02/2008 02:35:49 PM · #20 |
| It just seems ridiculous to me to ban something simply because of some misconceptions rather than educating to erase those misconceptions. |
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05/02/2008 02:35:56 PM · #21 |
The ultimate argument is the question why it isn't some banner crop in the rest of the world if the US is simply being puritanical because it's related to pot.
Here's a quote from this page looking at global industrial use of hemp:
"Despite the merits of hemp fiber and oil, the global market has been on a downward trend and remains negligible in magnitude. Total world trade in hemp fiber and seed amounted to only $10.4 million in 1996! Processing costs are one of the largest obstacles the hemp industry faces. For example, bleached softwood pulp currently sells for about $800 (U.S.) per ton compared to hemp pulp at about $2,100 (U.S.) per ton. New processing technology must be found for hemp to be cost competitive."
Doesn't sound like a panacea to me...
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 14:36:25.
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05/02/2008 02:38:39 PM · #22 |
My question for Doc is: If ganja has a valid medicinal purpose, should it be banned anyway?
Not really off topic since Doc wants to equate ganja with hemp. And the idea of encouraging the potheads is just plain laughable. I've never met a pothead that needed to be encouraged to smoke some weed. LOL BTW Doc for many years my state was the only state in the union where marijuana cigarettes were produced legally. They were manufactured by the state. They were given by script to patients with uncontrollable glaucoma. Now they can take TCH in pill form.
Message edited by author 2008-05-02 14:39:00. |
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05/02/2008 02:39:59 PM · #23 |
| you'd have to be a pretty dumb high school student to think you can smoke hemp, I know a lot of kids in grade 9 through 12 who are pot heads and the vast majority know that you cannot smoke hemp. In fact if you were to hang out with any pot head in my high school they would mock you for making such a silly comment. further more even if they do think you can smoke hemp let them nothings going to happen and they'll be out ten or twenty dollars. I'm happy hemp is legal in Canada and medical marijuana, crime rates and the use of marijuana by minors hasn't gone up. |
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05/02/2008 02:40:52 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
The ultimate argument is the question why it isn't some banner crop in the rest of the world if the US is simply being puritanical because it's related to pot.
Here's a quote from this page looking at global industrial use of hemp:
"Despite the merits of hemp fiber and oil, the global market has been on a downward trend and remains negligible in magnitude. Total world trade in hemp fiber and seed amounted to only $10.4 million in 1996! Processing costs are one of the largest obstacles the hemp industry faces. For example, bleached softwood pulp currently sells for about $800 (U.S.) per ton compared to hemp pulp at about $2,100 (U.S.) per ton. New processing technology must be found for hemp to be cost competitive."
Doesn't sound like a panacea to me... |
Maybe not, but is that any reason to keep it illegal? I seriously haven't heard one good argument on why it should be. |
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05/02/2008 02:42:23 PM · #25 |
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