Why isn't there more hemp production?

[sanabas]

Sort of related to/inspired by the latest thread on legalising pot. Hemp is extremely useful, for both textiles and for oil. It's much better than cotton in terms of ease of growth, amount of irrigation required, environmental impact, etc. Australia has big regions of cotton growing, rivers downstream of them are not in great shape. So why isn't more of it grown? I don't know the situation in most countries, I have a feeling that some countries have outlawed hemp production, simply because it is related to marijuana. I suspect a lot of the opposition to hemp production is mostly down to a 'drugs are bad' mentality. Any thoughts?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Yup, many countries have laws against hemp production, despite that most commercial strains have so little THC in them you'd need a boeing-sized joint to get a decent high out of it.

 

[Sidhe]

Yes the hemp used for fabrics and that used to make cannabis are very different fish. Hemp is still used to make rope though. I don't think it's illegal in Egnland but don't quote me on that.

 

[skadistic]

Its not more widespread for a few reasons one being the "drug" part. Another is that an easy to grow weed that doesnt need alot of fertalizers and pestacides. A set it and forget it crop that doesn't spread the money around to other industries will never get past the lobbiests of said industries.

Marijuana as a cash crop has alot of uses from textiles to paper to biomass fuels. Its imprint on ecosystems is mild. There is no real negative to its comercial use.

 

[Dragonlord]

Quite right. Hemp has many uses and was once an important cash crop in many countries.
The cultivation of hemp has been discouraged and, in many countries, outlawed solely because of the use of some varieties for the production of drugs. It would have been too much work and effort to control which varieties are planted and to which uses they are put, so they banned the plant entirely.
Typical government inefficiency, if you ask me..

BTW, I find it funny that conservatives are usually against interference by the government, but this kind of total ban is OK, because it involves the evil DRUUUUUUGS

 

[shadow2k]

Feb 17, 2006


ND Department of Agriculture Press Release

BISMARCK - North Dakota and three other states made their case Friday, with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to allow the cultivation of industrial hemp.

"The DEA people were very cordial, but they told us that the process of legalizing the production of industrial hemp will be extremely complicated under existing federal law," said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. "DEA has never responded to our earlier inquiries, but today, we were able to present our case and learn from them what may be required in terms of regulations and safeguards."

Johnson and the agriculture commissioners from Massachusetts, West Virginia and Wisconsin met with DEA officials, including Joseph Rannazzisi, deputy assistant administrator; Robert C. Gleason, deputy chief counsel, and Eric Akres, chief of congressional affairs.

Johnson said the North Dakota Department of Agriculture is in the process of drafting new rules to control the production of industrial hemp, and that he wanted to solicit input from DEA. The new rules would implement state laws, passed by the Legislature in 1999 through 2005.

"We were told by DEA that growers, processors and importers of hemp seed would each have to be separately licensed, and that DEA would need to establish quotas for the production and processing of industrial hemp," he said.

Johnson noted that the United States is alone among industrialized countries in banning cultivation of industrial hemp.

"The Canadians lifted their ban in 1998 and are now moving forward with large-scale cultivation of industrial hemp," he said. "It is obviously a crop that could do very well in North Dakota and provide our producers with another income source, as well as a valuable rotational crop."

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is widely grown around the world and is used in the manufacture of textiles, papers and rope. Its seed is also used for food and feed. Oil derived from the plant is used in cosmetics, paints and medicinal compounds. The industrial form of hemp contains only trace amounts of the psychoactive drug delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana, although DEA does not currently recognize industrial hemp apart from marijuana.

I think that says it all right there.

As far as why it's not more widely produced...it will be. The UK, Canada, and Germany only resumed production within the last 10yrs. The industry is growing. The Hemp Industry just needs support, which has been comprised of mainly stoners and farmers for the past 50yrs. So a few normal people helping their cause wouldn't hurt.

 

[IglooDame]

BTW, I find it funny that conservatives are usually against interference by the government, but this kind of total ban is OK, because it involves the evil DRUUUUUUGS

Yeah, apparently drugs don't have to actually be consumed in order to have one's mind altered by them.

 

[Abaddon]

Its banned because it is so much better than denim. The Cotton industry would collapse because the hemp provides clothes that wash easier, and are more resistance to wear and tear. It is noted that the laws banning its use (when its properties in cloth/rope etc making were discovered) came into operation on the back of large industrial pressure and backhanders

 

[Fifty]

There is a guy in Washington State named (seriousl) "Mike the Mover". He runs for either environmental commisioner or governor in every election. His platforms include increased hemp production, and making Washington State the nation's leader in baseball bat wood production. You can look it up yourself if you don't believe me! So yeah if you want increased hemp production (and you live in Washington) vote for the crazy guy Mike the Mover.

 

[Sidhe]

You'll have to tell me are these guys policies any better or worse than the other guys

 

[El_Machinae]

I suspect that the benefits of hemp are exaggerated, though, by people who are for the legalisation of pot. Just like people suspect the scientists saying that pot is bad ("look at their motives"), I think the pro-hemp group has an agenda.

Is it really that much better than cotton, et al? What can it do better than another crop? Why don't countries that use it have an obvious advantage in this area?

(I thought the question was going to be "why don't pot smokers grow their own?" ... I think that's a good idea if you insist on being a smoker, because it undermines the illegal gangs)

 

[CurtSibling]

Why isn't there more hemp production?

Because most manufacturing is controlled by big nasty men from the petrol-chemical industry.

.

 

[Sidhe]

But Pot and hemp are vastly different one contains virtually no mind altering substances the other does. So where's the problem?

http://www.artistictreasure.com/learnmorehemp.html

If it's grown for commercial use you don't get THC in any significant amount, it's just governments think if you let it be used commercially everyone will have huge Cannabis plantations in there shed soon after or something?

 

[shadow2k]

But Pot and hemp are vastly different one contains virtually no mind altering substances the other does. So where's the problem?

The US governement makes no legal distinction between the two. They haven't for over 30+ yrs.

The DEA's big hangup, or so they say, is that it will make it tougher to enforce marijuana laws. People might stick "the good stuff" in with the hemp.

Fact is, hemp is more profitable if cultivated BEFORE it buds (the buds weaken the fiber produced. Obviously you couldn't cultivate it for seeds this way, but their aversion to do what every other industrialized country has already done is baffling to me. Much like many of the posts in the legalize pot thread.

 

[Swiss Bezerker]

Because those darn drugies will roll up clothing into a bomg and smoke it

 

[Narz]

Because those darn drugies will roll up clothing into a bomg and smoke it

See TLC's post (the 2nd one).

Hemp is friggin' awesome. Half my clothing is made from hemp. It's much tougher than cotton and almost as soft. Supposedly it grows much quicker than cotton and in more environments and is naturally hardy so requires little to no pesticide use.

I even have hemp shoes. They are very comfy.

AFAIK most of my hemp stuff comes from Canada and Romania.

Hempseeds are edible also. I've had an excellent hemp seed butter (probably also from Canada).

Hemp seeds have the perfect Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio and one of the highest concentrations of complete protein of any food except algae (spirunlina, etc.).

 

[skadistic]

Is it really that much better than cotton, et al? What can it do better than another crop? Why don't countries that use it have an obvious advantage in this area?

Yes it as as you can get a better fiber for cheaper and more of it per hectar. Again compaired to trees is you can get up to 20x per hectar.
It's not a mass produced or mass marketed product.

 

[El_Machinae]

It's legal in Canada, eh?

Prepare to have your butts whooped then ... we'll start out producing you!

 

[Perfection]

I even have hemp shoes. They are very comfy.

Yeah, but they're butt-ugly (and not cute girl butt, no we're talking wrinkled old fat man butt)

 

[El_Machinae]

Is there any proof regarding hemp's lower environmental impact?