1 Max Moallen Presnell Engl 1102 15 Apr.

2014 Cannabis; The Economic Stimulant When you hear the words Cannabis plant, whats the first thing that comes to mind? Most may think about marijuana and associate that people getting high and sitting on their couches. Some of the more educated see it for its medicinal purposes and helping those who are in need. The one thing about the cannabis plant that most people dont think about is the fact that it is a plant, with many versatile uses in the industrial world. It ranges from paper to clothes, from food to oil. From different parts of the plant, you can create these products from it. Almost all of a full grown cannabis plant can be used in multiple ways to benefit our economy as a whole. For paper use, cannabis grows a lot faster than a whole tree would yielding more paper in a shorter time. The cannabis plant is truly fascinating as what it can do and why most countries do not use it for what it can be. This intrigues me making me curious as to why the governments do not allow the growing and cultivation of just a plant. Growing up in a time where I was always told dont do drugs, and showed all the horrible things about them, I understood why people stayed away from marijuana. It was not until about 11th grade when I realized that cannabis is just a

2 plant that grows like any other. I really did not know much about what it did or how, but rather just that people abused it for recreational use and it was illegal. I wanted to look into this, figure out as to why it was like that, and how things could be changed. I found many different sources through my research and learned that this plant isnt all that bad as people made it out to be. It Has Not Always Been This Way As far back as 2900 BC, a Chinese Emperor noted that cannabis was used as a great medicine. Moving closer in time, around 1 AD, ancient chinese text, recommended marijuana for over 100 ailments. Towards the beginning of our country, it was common for most farmers to grow and cultivate hemp, it was even stated that there were repercussions for those who did not grow cannabis. In 1913, President Wilson signed the Harrison Act, regulated the cultivation and distribution of opium and coca plants. It was not until 1925 where the cannabis plant was strictly grown for medicinal and scientific purposes. A few years later, marijuana was banned and added to the Dangerous Drugs Act. Soon after, the word Marijuana became more commonly used, opposed to cannabis or hemp. Doug Fine, author of Too High To Fail, a journalist and father who lives in New Mexico talks about how cannabis has been used. In the field, humans have been selectively breeding strains for at least five millennia for clothing, housing, spiritual use, and food. As of this writing, cannabis is being used as door material in Dodge Vipers and is one of the primary components in a British construction material companys Hemcrete: Carbon Negative Hemp Walls. One place cannabis is not yet found: the aboveground U.S. economy. (Fine XIV). Hemp Catching Wildfire In The United States Citizens of America have been talking crazy about cannabis and the government must differentiate between hemp and marijuana. Marijuana is the buds, or flowers, towards the top of the plant, that are picked off and typically used to smoke or create medicines. Hemp is the stem, or leaves that contain low level of THC, typically under 5%, with intention to be used for seeds, oil, and fiber. The cannabis plants grown with the intention of recreational use, have a high THC

3 content of about 5-20%. With industrial hemp being studied in Canada, it creates questions for us here in the States. Industrial hemp holding only about 1% THC, (opposed to marijuana having about 14-18% THC,) causes states to take liberty and study it without the federal governments approval. Back in 1994, Kentucky introduced a Hemp and Related Fiber Crops Task Force. In 1999, nine States (Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Virginia) passed legislation concerning the research, study, or production of industrial hemp as a crop. The first test plots of industrial hemp in the United States were planted in Hawaii in December 1999. (USDA iii) It must be noted, in order for it to become practical in the United States, we must look at it with an interest in profit. The USDA takes a look at kenaf and flax, other industrial hemp crops, to study the market prices. It is clear that what has been going on throughout our country, this plant has its uses. Although it has been by far the most confusing topic amongst humans over the past century, the scientific evidence is there giving it a force to be reckoned with.

How Cannabis Will Grow To Produce Its Byproducts

4 Cannabis is known for being able to be grown on many different environments and climates. The soil it is on can vary and the most dangerous part about causing the crop to not grow properly is having a frost-free season. It typically takes 5+ months to produce seeds and 3-4 months for fiber production. The soil must be moist but also well-drained otherwise it will flood and ruin the plant. Fertilization is important with a need for phosphate and potassium at the time of planting. Advocates of hemp farming suggest the application of fertilization aids the plant to better, healthier crop yields. It is shown that hemp requires little to no pesticide but it is not immune to diseases. Gray mold was a common problem for hemp in the Netherlands, attacking the seeds and the plant. Once ready to harvest, the plant is cut from the stem and immediately placed on the ground to promote bacterial and fungal breakdown of pectins that bind fibers within the stems. (Bowyer 19.) After that it goes through a process called Dew Retting. This is done in order to let the outside layers of bark die off, while still maintaining the structure of the inside. Retting must not be done in the winter or it will not yield quality fiber results. Opposed to letting the plant sit out, water retting is an alternative process which actually produces higher quality fiber. Another big concern with the development of industrial hemp is the storage of the harvested crop. Typically, harvested crops are places in storage for at least 23 months annually. Being that there is so much of this crop, there needs to be somewhere to keep it. It could be all kept at the mill, or distributed to nearby farms. Either way it must be kept at a certain moisture level to not lose quality. Hemp Paper Anyone could see how the paper industry could be changed to a better way instead of cutting down huge forests for paper. Cannabis is a strong contender to replace normal oak trees for paper because of its long and sturdy layers of bark along the stalk of the plant. Challenging these companies, Fiber from hemp bark could be used as an acceptable raw material for use in contemporary papermaking, and it appears that hemp paper could be manufactured at a

5 competitive price to paper made of wood pulp. (Bowyer 1). Being that it is an acceptable option, this would change our economy and all the money involved in similar practices. It is important to note the prices of crops to ensure it is not hurting anything in the long run. The 1998 North Dakota evaluation of the feasibility of agricultural production of dual purpose hemp crops (hemp fiber and hemp seed) assumed values of hemp stalks of $40.44, $45.96, and $51.47 per short ton, and of hemp seed of $5.51, $6.16, and $6.80 pr25 bushel (Bowyer 24-25.) According to these estimations, an entire farm of cannabis would yield farmers a lot of money. It would bring them more than the average plant like wheat or corn. A problem that arises from cannabis being used in the paper industry, is the separation from the bark and the core. It could use some development before becoming optimal for farmers. Also, because it is grown faster, annually it would be 70% increased yields at the environments expense. Not only will cannabis be taking over the paper industry, but it will give competition to many other fields. From The Bark On The Trees To The Clothes On Our Back Some of our greatest presidents were known for having cannabis plants, using the industrial hemp for money or personal usage. Hemp has been used and grown by many iconic figures including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Their use for industrial hemp was helpful to the economy being used in ropes, sacks, or paper. A process they were not likely to use was thinning, or make softer, of the hemp to be used for clothes or home use. In doing this you remove the lignin, the stickiness of the fibers, making it less strong. More recently though, scientists have found a way to remove lignin without compromising as much of the strength as older methods would, expanding the use from not only industrial textiles, but also consumer textiles. A company that specializes in hemp oil, ropes, and apparel; Hemp Traders state, Hemp fiber is one of the strongest and most durable of all natural textile fibers. Products made from hemp will outlast their competition by many years. Not only is hemp strong, but it also holds its shape, stretching less than any other natural fiber. This prevents hemp garments from stretching out or becoming distorted with use. Hemp may be

6 known for its durability, but its comfort and style are second to none. The more hemp is used, the softer it gets. Hemp doesn't wear out, it wears in. Hemp is also naturally resistant to mold and ultraviolet light. (Hemp Traders par. 5)

Being that hemp is such a consumer friendly product it makes sense to begin using it as a textile. There will be no need to worry about clothing ripping or stretching out because of its strong fibrous attributes. As a fabric, hemp provides all the warmth and softness of a natural textile but with a superior durability seldom found in other materials. Hemp is extremely versatile and can be used for countless products such as apparel, accessories, shoes, furniture, and home furnishings (Hemp Traders par. 9). It is far superior to other fabrics giving it a good reason to create great opportunities for those who manufacture it. According to the Department of Energy, hemp can be used to create a wide range of biomass energy sources. Like other wood sources, it is converted into fuel pellets which can then be turned into liquid fuels and gas. In doing this, we would significantly reduce the uses of our fossil fuels for an overall safer environment. Additionally it would provide biodiesel and ethanol at a much faster rate than where it comes from now. According to Michael Lackman, founder of LotusOrganics.com, the uses for hemp include but are not limited to, hemp fabrics, biodegradable industrial products, biomass fuels, replacement for wood products, paper, body care products, pet foods, detergents, art supplies, and food products. What Happens Now? The cannabis plant is something that is superior in many different fields, giving itself a well known name. It was not until the 20th century when people began abusing the fact it is for recreational use and the government deemed it was necessary to intervene. The fact that they are still not allowing patients to receive the proper medicinal treatment is astounding, as well as the fact that our economy needs something to give it a push. Cannabis does exactly that. Although marijuana has its uses and some may not be that good, hemp is the next big thing,

7 giving everybody around the globe something to think about moving forward. Personally, I do see changes in the near future, and this excites me. I find great interest in researching the cannabis plant because it is so relevant to so many people. Whether it be the fuel they put in their car, or the clothes they buy, or the food they eat; cannabis plays a big role in all of these aspects and is something everybody needs to be knowledgeable on.

8 Work Cited

Almendarez, Sandy. "Cannabis Advocates Seek Natural Product Industry Expertise."Cannabis Advocates Seek Natural Product Industry Expertise. Naturalproductsinsider.com, 23 Mar. 2014. Web. Bowyer, Jim. "Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as a Papermaking Raw Material in Minnesota: Technical, Economic, and Environmental Considerations."http://www.votehemp.com/PDF/hemp.pdf. Vote Hemp, n.d. Web. 25 Mar 2014. Dwyer, Susan. "THE HEMP CONTROVERSY: CAN INDUSTRIAL HEMP SAVE KENTUCKY?."Kentucky Law Journal. (1997): n. page. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. Fine, Doug, and Doug Fine. Too High To Fail. New York City: Penguin Group, 2012. Print.

"Hemp Textile Properties." Hemp Textile Properties. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

"Historical Timeline - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

Lackman, Michael. "Organic_Clothing." 'Organic_Clothing' N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

McNulty, Sara (editor), Report to the Governors Hemp and Related Fiber Crops Task Force, Commonwealth of Kentucky, Frankfort, June 1995. Serbin, Lawrence. Hemp Textile Properties. Hemp Textile Properties. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. <http://www.hemptraders.com/Hemp-Textile-Properties-s/1881.htm>.

United States. United States Department of Agriculture.Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential. Washington DC: USDA, 2000. Web.