I Used to Love H.E.M.P.

I am ashamed of you, dear readers. All these weeks have gone by and none of you have mentioned the hemp. Tsk tsk, faithful followers. Nevertheless, we’ll undertake the task of learning about hemp right … now. Hemp is scientifically known as Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa, which is different from marijuana, also known as Canabis sativa L. subsp. Indica. The difference between the two is that marijuana has a much higher level of THC. While hemp has between 0.05 and 1% THC content, marijuana has 3 to 20%. Despite this, the US government views hemp the same as marijuana. And yet, the United States imports hemp from other countries.

Hemp has many uses, including clothing fibers, construction, paper, and even food. The plant can be harvested and its fibers can be used to make clothing which has been shown to reduce UV exposure in the wearer. As for construction, hemp hurds are mixed with lime, sand, plaster, water, and some concrete to form a strong concrete-like material. Walls made with ‘hempcrete’ are said to be seven times stronger and three times more elastic than those made with concrete. It is also a better insulator and not brittle like cement. Crack resistant pipes can also be made from hempcrete, which are more flexible and elastic than those made from normal materials. The paper and pulping industry of today is the third worst polluting industry. One of the reasons for this is the dumping of dioxin, a waste product of chlorine, which is used in the paper pulping process. Hemp, when pulped, does not need chlorine or bleach to be whitened. It requires hydrogen peroxide, which doesn’t produce dioxin. Hemp paper is also a much better paper in that it can be recycled seven or eight times, as compared to normal paper which can only be recycled three times. Hemp paper also lasts much longer; hundreds of years longer than paper, that is! Furthermore, hemp is a much better environmental alternative. It can produce about four times as much paper per acre as trees. Also, while trees can take years upon years to grow, hemp is a renewable resource known as one of the fastest growing biomasses around. It can also be a substitute for cotton, which uses 50% of the worlds’ pesticides. In addition, hemp seeds are a beneficial and nutritional food. It contains all of the necessary amino acids for human life. Hemp seeds can be eaten raw, ground into a meal, or made into milk made from hemp, akin to soy milk. Next week, we’ll journey into the exciting topic of hemp’s possible economic impact. Hemp, Hemp, Hooray (Boo, bad pun)!!!

And kudos to those who recognize the reference in the title. I wonder how many of you get it.