Legalization and Production of Industrial Hemp

Final Persuasion Speech

Legalization and Production of Industrial Hemp

Attention: "Take all of the good in Dr. Jekyll and the worst in Mr. Hyde-the result is opium. This is not so with marihuana. Its importance in the Pharmacopoeia is not intrinsically indispensable. Marihuana may be considered more harmful in its potentialities for evil than its limited advantages for medical or commercial purposes. It is Mr. Hyde alone." (Uncle Mike's Library) This quote was said by Harry J. Anslinger, commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the man who perpetrated the Marijuana Tax act of 1937, which placed an extremely high tax on it, effectively outlawing the use and production of marijuana.

Not only was marijuana banned with the Marijuana Tax Act, but also its harmless and extremely beneficial counterpart hemp was banned with it. This illegalization of hemp was a senseless action that is still in effect today, even though there are countless benefits from it.

The legalization and production of industrial hemp should be enacted as soon as possible in this country.

Need: Hemp is the name for the fibers of the plant Cannabis sativa, the same plant that marijuana comes from. The difference between marijuana and hemp is the presence of the psychoactive chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the main component in marijuana that is used to "get high." In industrialized hemp, the THC content is between 0.05 and 1% as opposed to the 5 to over 20% in some strains of marijuana. To receive a standard psychoactive dose from hemp, one would need to smoke 10-12 hemp cigarettes by the time I finish this speech. (Hemp Facts) Due to the high temperature and large volume of smoke needed to inhale, it would be very difficult for a person to withstand, much less enjoy. Hemp should not be considered marijuana at all.

Hemp has been grown for over 12,000 years for its benefits from the fiber and seeds of the plant. The fiber of the plant has been used to make paper and textiles of all kinds.

As a source of paper, hemp is a much better source than trees. One acre of hemp in annual rotation will produce as much pulp for paper as 4.1 acres of trees during the same twenty year period. Hemp can be grown and harvested in approximately 100 days, unlike trees which take 50 to 100 years to grow back. Hemp can also be grown in more areas of the world than trees. Making paper from trees creates over 5 times more pollution than making paper from hemp. (Environmental Benefits of Hemp) Thomas Jefferson even drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper and the Bill of Rights was written on it. Hemp paper can also be recycled several more times than wood-based paper because of its long fibers. (North American Industrial Hemp Council Industrial Hemp Facts Sheet)

The use of hemp in the textile industry is seemingly limitless. The fiber of the plant is used to make very durable cloth that is naturally mold and mildew resistant. Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, and more absorbent than cotton, making hemp the better fabric. Additionally, cotton is grown with massive amounts of pesticides which are harmful to people and the environment. Hemp on the other hand, is naturally resistant to most pests, eliminating the need for the use of pesticides. It is no wonder our founding fathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin grew hemp; they knew how beneficial it was. In colonial America, it was actually REQUIERED that people grow hemp because of the importance of sails and rope that were made from hemp. (North American Industrial Hemp Council Industrial Hemp Facts Sheet)

The use of hemp seed and the oil it produces has a variety of nutritional and technical uses.

As a source of nutrition, hemp seed and hemp oil is highly desirable for a balanced and healthy diet. Hemp seed is made up of 33% protein of exceptionally high quality and has a high content of the two essential fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-3. (Leson) The seeds and oil can be included in a wide variety of foods such as salad dressings, granola bars, and breads to reap the benefits.

As a technical use, the oil and seeds can be used in various ways. Hempseed oil is has great moisturizing properties that make it useful in lotions, shampoos, soaps and cosmetics. My own mother swears by hemp hand lotion to keep her skin healthy and hydrated after working all day in her garden.

Hempseed oil can be used to grease machines as it has been done in the past. Most paint, resins, shellacs, and varnishes used to be made out of a hempseed and linseed oil mixture.

Hempseed oil is very similar to petroleum diesel fuel, and produces full engine power with reduced carbon monoxide and 75% less soot and particulates. Hemp stalk, which is different than the part that can make paper and textiles, can be converted into 500 gallons of methanol/acre. Rudolph Diesel designed his namesake engine to run on vegetable oils, including hempseed oil. (Harbolt)

Of all the uses the hemp plant gives us, it is outrageous that this completely harmless plant is illegal to grow in the United States. In many countries all over the world hemp is legal to grow. Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan and at least 21 other countries are growing hemp for the enormous benefits it gives. (Countries Where Hemp Is Legal) People in the United States are