Would this be a crop to help save farm, victory, hope, future ?

[bumpus]

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These two clips have a lot of goo info for food, clothing, fuel, plastic production, biodegradable properties, just to name a few.

Well worth watching.

YouTube

YouTube

bumpus
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[bumpus]

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Adding one more part to the info.

YouTube

bumpus
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[seedspreader]

For those who can't view videos, they are about hemp.

[MELOC]

we can't allow hemp to be grown, it could lead to dancing.

[Dar/Steve in NY]

Originally Posted by MELOC

we can't allow hemp to be grown, it could lead to dancing.

...and alot less logging for paper products, and that would be unacceptable.

[MELOC]

(insert "it's not pot, it's hemp" comments here)

[seedspreader]

As I've said, the problem with hemp is it's whacko support group it has. It's the potheads (even though you can't/shouldn't smoke it) that support it and many of them radically.

It's unfortunate because it suffers from the same thing Ron Paul suffers from. Doomed to the fringe by the supporters.

Of course there is also the debatable benefits of hemp. Hemp is not illegal to grow in much of the world and it's products are not illegal to sell in the U.S., so if it is REALLY as economically viable as claimed, we should be seeing massive imports (because it's cheaper and renewable... or claimed as such) of hemp products.

If it becomes profitable and big business gets on board, it will be legal in a heart beat...

[bumpus]

.
Read this for yourself how is being used
and how president used it in the past.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp


bumpus
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[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by bumpus

.
Read this for yourself how is being used
and how president used it in the past.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp


bumpus
.

I have read that...

But the issue is simple economics and the drug issue associated with "ditch weed".

I just read an article where pot is the most potent in history right now:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/boos...uana-more.html

and although many of the drug users try to convince people otherwise, there is a link between pot users, crime (outside of the "crime" of using pot), and other drug usage.

I've yet to find someone who supports making marijuana legal but to leave "hard" drugs illegal that could support their position effectively to the American public.

Most of us don't want to be sharing the road with drunks, let alone an increased number druggies high on legal meth, heroin, or crack. And there are MANY people who don't do drugs simply because they are illegal and they don't want to risk everything for an illegal high. But make it legal, and it's a whole new story. Those who try to connect prohibition of alcohol to drugs won't even recognize the fact that you don't become addicted to a swig of alcohol (physically addicted) but you sure can with other drugs.

And that's where most of the marijuana users lose everyone else, because they don't want ANY drug laws, and none will even recognize the studies that the health industry has done on the effects of marijuana usage. Usually howls and claims of "Big Pharm" are brought up and used to dismiss any studies.

And that's about all I have to say, because I've been in this debate before and know that we have a large group of MJ users here.

Like I said, if it has all those benefits (environmentally, economically, etc) then all the places where it IS legal to grow should be booming with industrial hemp fields.

Most of them aren't though.

[ChristyACB]

I have to ditto Seedspreader with the fringe thing. American puritanical heritage often leads us to make irrational decisions with regard to hemp or other products that may have suspicious relatives.

I've traveled extensively and am really amazed when I see how different other countries are but in this case, it is just shockingly wasteful.

Hemp isn't the smoking kind and it produces paper that can be recycled 7 times more than high quality pulp paper, is carbon friendly, has strong fibers for other uses like cloth and on top of that, makes one of the few really good safe ropes for nautical use and the only one that is natural. Just shocking. I sure wish we, as Americans, could just get over that sort of bias.

[bumpus]

.
It is against the law to make moonshine whiskey also, but they never outlawed the crop of corn, or sugar, yeast, or water used to make it.

Hemp is used to make hundreds of different things. They can even made a car in 1941 that runs if you would watch the video. It could replace plastic.

They have even built houses out of it.

Big Industry is the one fighting to keep it from being legalized, in The U.S.A.

It has nothing to do with drugs.


bumpus
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[MELOC]

you guys make a good point and it leads me to ponder why a "drug" that can't kill anyone via overdose would have been outlawed in the first place, especially when you consider the economic benefits of utilizing both high and low thc strains of cannabis. it's almost like someone way back when didn't want the competition of this crop...for whatever reason.

it is knda scary that to overdose, a person now only has to smoke 2 or 3 ounces at one sitting instead of the 4+ ounces required in the past.

[homesteadforty]

Originally Posted by seedspreader

I have read that...

and although many of the drug users try to convince people otherwise, there is a link between pot users, crime (outside of the "crime" of using pot), and other drug usage.

I recently saw part of a show on the criminalization of hemp on the History Channel (I think). I wish I had seen all of the show because I mjssed some key names and government position that would be relavent.

What I did gather was that the head of the government bureau that did the first study on hemp (along with the then AMA and other organizations) did a report that initially showed that it was not a gateway drug, that there was no unusual criminal activity associated with it and that it was if fact less troublesome than alcohol.

The White House (at that time) wanted hemp to be declared illegal and fired/demoted the man that issued the report and used extreme political pressure against any supporters.

Wish I had seen the whole program.

[bumpus]

Originally Posted by MELOC

you guys make a good point and it leads me to ponder why a "drug" that can't kill anyone via overdose would have been outlawed in the first place, especially when you consider the economic benefits of utilizing both high and low thc strains of cannabis. it's almost like someone way back when didn't want the competition of this crop...for whatever reason.

it is knda scary that to overdose, a person now only has to smoke 2 or 3 ounces at one sitting instead of the 4+ ounces required in the past.

Where did you see or hear of anyone overdosing on just marijuana, or hemp ?



bumpus
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[MELOC]

Originally Posted by bumpus

Where did you see or hear of anyone overdosing on just marijuana, or hemp ?



bumpus
.

i never have, but that is my point. there was some research done that i cannot link or site that stated a person would have to smoke a tremendous amount to overdose, enough that it is basically impossible. you would probably die from smoke inhalation first.

[bumpus]

Originally Posted by MELOC

i never have, but that is my point. there was some research done that i cannot link or site that stated a person would have to smoke a tremendous amount to overdose, enough that it is basically impossible. you would probably die from smoke inhalation first.

Maybe these will help:


http://www.drugtext.org/sub/marmyt1.html



http://www.drugwarfacts.org/causes.htm


bumpus
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[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

Hemp is legally grown in Canada. Native Americans recently lost a long battle in court over the right to grow hemp. Big advantage of hemp is that it can be grown in crummy soil. Problem is that it has about 1/10th the THC of pot, so it is considered a drug crop.

RF

[foxfiredidit]

Originally Posted by MELOC

you guys make a good point and it leads me to ponder why a "drug" that can't kill anyone via overdose would have been outlawed in the first place, especially when you consider the economic benefits of utilizing both high and low thc strains of cannabis. it's almost like someone way back when didn't want the competition of this crop...for whatever reason.

it is knda scary that to overdose, a person now only has to smoke 2 or 3 ounces at one sitting instead of the 4+ ounces required in the past.

I've never seen anyone smoke even an ounce at one sitting.
While marijuana isn't really harsh, unless it's smoked undried / green, it is a bit of an irritant to your lungs.
Never seen anyone overdose on Marijuana or even Hashish.
Marijauna is not like that......the cause and effect syndromes. Smoking a joint doesn't automatically make you want another one. That's not to say you can't get dependent on it but NO one would want to smoke even an ounce of good marijuana at one sitting, that's counter productive to a good high. Oh, I forget Cheech and Chong.
Don't ask me how I know all that.......but, at one time in my life all I had to do was walk down a jungle trail and pick it cause it was all over the place.....and GOOD.
Fox

[MedicalUser]

heres a great group of links if you want to know about medical marijuana :
www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=64764

HEMP FOR FUEL: About 6% of contiguous United States land area put into cultivation for biomass could supply all current demands for oil and gas. Very few people know what "biomass conversion" or "pyrolysis" mean--not only in terms of their dictionary definitions, but in terms of what they mean as alternative sources of energy, to the limited, expensive and dirty petro-chemical, nuclear, or coal sources. The only reason the U.S.-- and every other nation on earth--can't once again become energy independent and smog free is because people are not educated concerning the facts about solutions to the environment/energy "crisis" continuously lamented and tepidly addressed "leaders", claiming they are the best informed to decide what to do. The knowledge exists right now for our lifeline to the future and the health and well-being of the Seventh Generation yet unborn. Everyone of us must learn about this existent lifeline and teach everyone else we know what the facts are the way out of the current "crisis".
HEMP IS THE NUMBER ONE biomass producer on earth: 10 tons per acre in approximately four months. It is a woody plant containing 77% cellulose. Wood producers 60% cellulose. This energy crop can be harvested with equipment readily available. It can be "cubed" by modifying cubing equipment. This
method condenses the bulk, reducing trucking costs from the field to the pyrolysis reactor. And the biomass cubes are ready for conversion.
Hemp is drought resistant, making it an ideal crop in the dry western regions of the country. Hemp is the only biomass resource capable of making America energy independent and our government outlawed it in 1938.
The argument against hemp production does not hold up to scrutiny: hemp grown for biomass makes very poor grade marijuana. The 20-40 million Americans who smoke marijuana would loath to smoke hemp grown for biomass, so a farmer's hemp biomass crop is worthless as marijuana.
Excerpt from Herer "Emperor Wears No Clothes" 1991 edition p. 136

[MedicalUser]

Hemp FACT of the Day #2

Dewey and Merrill, "bulletin #404, Hemp Hurds As Paper-Making Material" U.S.D.A. Washington, D.C. Oct. 14, 1916.
There appears to be little doubt that under the present system of forest use and consumption the present supply cannot withstand the demands placed upon it. By the time improved methods of forestry have established an equilibrium between production and consumption, the price of pulp wood may be such that a knowledge of other raw materials may be imperative.
Semi-commercial paper-making tests were conducted, therefore, on hemp hurds, in cooperation with a paper manufacturer. After several trials, under conditions of treatment and manufacture which are regarded as favorable in comparison with those used with pulp wood, paper was produced which received
very favorable comment both from investigators and from the trade which according to official tests would be classified as No. 1 finished printing paper. (p. 25)
The new paper process used hemp "hurds"--77% of the hemp stalk's weight, which was then a wasted by-product of the fiber-stripping process. In 1916, USDA Bulletin #404, reported that ONE ACRE OF CANNABIS HEMP, in annual rotation over a 20-year period, WOULD PRODUCE AS MUCH PULP FOR PAPER AS 4.1 ACRES OF TREES BEING CUT DOWN over the same 20 year period. This process would use only 1/4 to 1/7 as much polluting sulfur-based acid chemicals to break down the lignin that binds the fibers of the pulp, or even none at all using soda ash. The problem of dioxin contamination of rivers is avoided in the hemp making process. HEMP PROVIDES FOUR TIMES AS MUCH PULP WITH AT LEAST 4-7 TIMES LESS POLLUTION.
As an example: If the new (1916) hemp pulp paper process were legal today, it would soon replace about 70% of all wood paper, including computer printout paper, corrugated boxes and paper bags.