Hemp Happenings

Get your 'Mojo' free on the web

2009-10-10T18:37:00Z

This really doesn't have anything to do with Hemp... but for some reason country-rocker Mojo Nixon's complete works are available for free on Amazon.com's MP3 download area this week.
Get em while they're hot!!

It is best not to ask why! Just a "thank you Mr. Nixon" will do.

States are ready - Feds are not - Oregon ok with HEMP

2009-10-05T15:35:40Z

Portland Oregon has said YES! to Hemp for their farmers but the Federal Govt continues to say NO!

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Industrial hemp is legal in Oregon but growers say they can't get on with their business until the federal government change its policies.

The Oregon Legislature this year legalized industrial hemp, but Washington still classifies it as an illegal drug in the same category as marijuana, leading to little progress for the state's nascent industry, The (Portland) Oregonian reported Sunday.

"It's rolled into the definition of marijuana at the federal level," state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, a Eugene, Ore., Democrat, who co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sen. David Nelson of Pendleton, Ore., told the newspaper.

Would-be hemp growers say they're pinning some of their hopes on the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, which has been introduced by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and would remove industrial hemp -- which is low in the active ingredient that give smokers a high -- from the federal definition of marijuana.

The Oregonian reported that others, however, want to persuade the Obama administration to institute a policy change allowing hemp production if Congress won't act. Prozanski contends it may be better for the White House to order the Drug Enforcement Administration to treat industrial hemp as it does medical marijuana -- avoiding the prosecution of legitimate growers and producers.

Totally free THC HEMP?

2009-10-05T15:31:06Z

I don't know how I feel about this article below. Actually I know how I feel. Nature has already given us an almost THC free plant. It's called HEMP. What little THC is in it is less than opium in a poppyseed bagel. I am not a proponent of bio-engineering mother nature.

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they are moving closer to engineering a totally drug-free cannabis plant to produce hemp fiber and oil.

University of Minnesota researchers said they have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, which is the psychoactive substance in marijuana. Studying the genes could also lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions, the scientists, led by Professor David Marks, said.

The researchers said they discovered the genes are active in tiny hairs covering the flowers of cannabis plants. In marijuana, the hairs accumulate high amounts of THC, whereas in hemp the hairs have little. Hemp and marijuana are difficult to distinguish apart from differences in THC.

With the genes identified, finding a way to silence them and thus produce a drug-free plant comes a step closer to reality. Another desirable step, the scientists said, is to make drug-free plants visually recognizable. Since the hairs can be seen with a magnifying glass, this could be accomplished by engineering a hairless cannabis plant.

Hemp has many industrial and commercial uses but its association with marijuana has limited its cultivation.

The research appears in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

Hemp is the new wood.

2009-10-03T20:26:35Z

Scientists at Stanford are creating a non-petroleum based building material out of Polymers and Hemp! Now if only it were legal to grow that Hemp in the US!

Why I care about Hemp and other musings about why you should too - Part 1

2009-10-03T04:54:48Z

Part 1.
When I bring up the topic of Hemp I usually will get two reactions. The first is from someone who has smoked pot or currently smokes pot. They usually smile and say something like, "Yeah man! It's great!". They will mention that clothes can be made out of hemp and also those scratchy little bracelets that you can get at Phish or past Grateful Dead shows.

The second type of people are those who may have smoked marijuana a few times but most likely not at all and certainly do not currently. They say something about it being for again clothes or bracelets and they mention something about smoking it. The extent of the conversation is often short because they think I'm just a pot-smoking hippy. (If the shoe fits.)

Well I wont get into my smoking history or practices, however what I will tell you is I used to be one of those people. I had had my share of tokes and Phish show (Sorry Grateful Dead I was just never into you. R.I.P - G.G) and I even bought a hemp bracelet or two and life was grand and Hemp was Hippyfied.

Then one day I got curious. I was working as an Assistant Producer for a company based in Virginia. One of our clients was the Discovery Channel and we produced science shows and some minor documentaries for them. One of my jobs was writing up show proposals. I was researching a show on organic farming and I came across an article of Industrial Hemp. By the time I was finished reading the article I was so excited I jotted down that we could do an entire show on Industrial Hemp and I planned to research it some more. The article I had read was from a 1937 edition of Popular Mechanics and the Article was called "The New Billion Dollar Crop".

I was so excited about this plant that I decided to research it for the rest of the day. I couldn't wait to learn what we were doing with it. I mean if it was a billion dollar crop in 1937 it must be 100's of billions now.

I searched for Hemp on the Internet and my enthusiasm soon turned to confusion and then dismay and frustration and finally almost despair. That lasted a few minutes and then I just got pissed off.

You see Industrial Hemp is currently illegal to grow in the United States. Why? That is a two-sided question. There is: why did it become illegal and why is it still illegal?

Technically Hemp is illegal to grow in the United States because it contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinal). This is the active ingredient in Marijuana. But where marijuana contain anywhere between 5-20% THC Hemp contains roughly .3%. I'll put it to you this way. There is more arsenic in a glass of wine and more opium in a poppy seed bagel than THC in hemp. But because the DEA says THC is a schedule 1 drug anything that contains THC is considered illegal.

Our neighbors to the north, Canada have allowed their farmers to grow Industrial Hemp. The farmers must follow regulations that says their crops must have .3% THC or less in any given crop. That seems perfectly rationale to me. However year after year there are Bill proposals to congress that get batted away and declined. Those opposed to the Legalization of Hemp say that it is really just a red Herring for another plan to make Marijuana Legal. But time and time again legitimate farmers who own 1000's of acres of good soiled land ask to legalization and re turned down.

So given that there is a clear and present confusion on whether Hemp should be legal(and just what hemp is to be exact and why you should care) I would like to begin my argument for its legality by giving a brief explanation of how it initially became illegal followed by a little venture into a world that allows hemp to be grown as a major industrial crop. And of course - WHY YOU SHOULD CARE. ;)
Here is a little video outlining why this is an awesome plant -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxkDUBj3riY

Hemp Bags -Austrailia town makes a statement

2009-09-30T17:52:14Z

This is a fun hemp making a difference article. Plastic bags in a store shelved for hemp bags that were designed by local students. A great example of a small change with a huge impact.

"The launch was very positive and we received good feedback," she said.
"The bags were designed by students from St James here in Yamba and it's great to have locals, especially children, involved with their production.
"Hemp bags are a better alternative for the environment as hemp requires less water to grow and a hemp bag has a lifespan of 20 years.
"We can't fix all the environmental problems in the world but we can make a start in our own backyard."

original article by Emma Pritchard
29th September 2009
Original Article is here

HEMP, what is it and why do I care?

2009-09-29T05:29:16Z

There are many things we are taught as a kid and then, things we aren't. I was taught nothing about hemp until a grateful dead concert at which I saw my first hemp jewlery. Needless to say I was unimpressed by the product that the hippy chick was selling outside the concert. My ignorant life of cotton continued, oblivious to the historical importance and the lack of hemp products in the main stream. I am not going to turn this into a history lesson and rehash the history of hemp, rather, I am trying to understand what it would really take for our society to make a change such as allowing a crop that our countries founding fathers grew. We have farmers that would love to have a money making crop, especially one that is sustainable. At the same time we have a law enforcement agencies that use acronyms like "Operation HEMP," which stands for "Help Eliminate Marijuana Planting." when dealing with industrial hemps cousin marijuana. Marijuana as we all know DOES contain THC(psycoactive ingredient) and industrial Hemp only contains traces. This leads me to believe that by total guess (if you quote me your quoting a guess) over 90+ percent of the US population would tell you hemp will get you high and have no idea that it can be grown to make everything from plastics, health and beauty products to fuel. So, assuming I am wrong and only 75% of people have no idea what industrial hemp can be used for, what is their reasoning for keeping it illegal? Is it fear of change? Is it this lack of knowledge? Is it corporate america, afraid at all the products that would have new competition?
The answer is not an easy one, and this short blurb does not do the topic justice but the bottom line is simple.
Our earth cannot sustain our lifestyles using the resources we currently use and abuse. Hemp is an underutilized natural resource and would be a great stimulus for our farmers and economy. Just my 2 cents (and a guesstimate)

Cops slash research field of Industrial hemp

2009-09-19T00:11:15Z

Of all the places you would think the cops wouldn't make this mistake - the Netherlands?

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Dutch police who mowed down what they thought were illicit marijuana plants were red-faced Thursday when it emerged they'd ruined a research group's giant, officially sanctioned field of harmless hemp.
Police proudly announced Wednesday that they'd found more than 47,000 cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of nearly euro4.5 million ($6.45 million) concealed in a corn field in the Flevoland province east of Amsterdam.

Link to story

Would-be stoners stealing Industrial Hemp from farmer

2009-09-19T00:06:51Z

How long do you think it took until these guys realized their mistake?:

Buildings made out of hemp. It's about time!

2009-09-17T20:41:14Z

Originally seen onNews Review.com - Green guide section
Found this great read on the Lhoist Group in the UK. They have developed a building material made from hemp, water and lime that is seven times stronger than concrete.

"The versatile substance can be used for flooring, wall construction and roof insulation. Hempcrete is reportedly fireproof, waterproof, makes for a good insulate and doesn't rot when used above ground. Manufacturers claim the material is 100 percent recyclable and can be used as fertilizer after demolition."

Pretty awesome sounding stuff if you ask me. Take a look at their website!
Lhoist Group - Hemp products

News-You just have to love Ron Paul

2009-06-15T19:45:33Z

This is an interesting take on a tabacco issue that turns to the core issues with HEMP. Ron Paul is an avid hemp supporter and a very well spoken individual.

Original posted at smallgovtimes.com

Moving towards tobacco prohibition

by Ron Paul

Last week, another bill was passed and signed into law that takes more of our freedoms and violates the Constitution of the United States. It was, of course, done for the sake of the children, and in the name of the health of the citizenry. It's always the case that when your liberty is seized, it is seized for your own good. Such is the condescension of Washington.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act will give sweeping new powers over tobacco to the FDA. It will require everyone engaged in manufacturing, preparing, compounding, or processing tobacco to register with the FDA and be subjected to FDA inspections, which is yet another violation of the Fourth Amendment. It violates the First Amendment by allowing the FDA to restrict tobacco advertising in multiple ways, as well as an outright ban on advertising any cigarettes as light, mild or low-tar. The FDA will have the power of pre-market reviews of all new tobacco products, and will impose new user fees, meaning taxes, on manufacturers and importers of tobacco products. It will even regulate the amount of nicotine in cigarettes.

My objections to the bill are not an endorsement of tobacco. As a physician I understand the adverse health effects of this bad habit. And that is exactly how smoking should be treated - as a bad habit and a personal choice. The way to combat poor choices is through education and information. Other than ensuring that tobacco companies do not engage in force or fraud to market their products, the federal government needs to stay out of the health habits of free people. Regulations for children should be at the state level. Unfortunately, government is using its already overly intrusive financial and regulatory roles in healthcare to establish a justifiable interest in intervening in your personal lifestyle choices as well. We all need to anticipate the level of health freedom that will remain once government manages all health care in this country.

Actions in Congress such as this tobacco bill are especially disconcerting after we thought we were beginning to see some progress in drawing down the wrong-headed and failed war on drugs. A majority of Americans now think marijuana should be legal, taxed and regulated, according to a recent Zogby poll and over 70 percent are in favor of allowing medicinal use of marijuana. Bills like this take us down exactly the wrong path. Instead of gaining more freedom with marijuana, we are moving closer to prohibiting tobacco. Our prisons are already bursting with non-violent drug offenders. How long will it be before a black market in tobacco fills the prisons with non-violent cigarette smokers?

Hemp and tobacco were staple crops for our founding fathers when our country was new. It is baffling to see how far removed from real freedom this country has become since then. Hemp, even for industrial uses, of which there are many, is illegal to grow at all. Now tobacco will have more layers of bureaucracy and interference piled on top of it. In this economy it is extremely upsetting to see this additional squeeze put on an entire industry. One has to wonder how many smaller farmers will be forced out of business because of this bill.

The Hemp Hump - A CNBC article

2009-06-15T15:50:40Z

And just when you think people have forgotten

CNBC article - nicely done

Hemp Society - And the winner is...

2009-06-15T06:00:00Z

Us, I guess, welcome to our new project, HempSociety.com. A place to come and share, learn and get connected to others interested in furthering industrial hemp use in the United States and world over.

News-Hemp House

2009-06-09T19:59:33Z

originally posted at themovechannel.com

Hemp House by Catherine Deshayes

A unique energy efficient house made from hemp, designed by Archial Architects, has been unveiled at the BRE Innovation Park which showcases the future of low carbon and sustainable buildings...

The three bedroom Renewable House, which costs £75,000 to build not including ground works or utilities, uses renewable materials to deliver a well designed, yet low cost, affordable home.

The external walls are constructed from a revolutionary sustainable material called Hemcrete, provided by manufacturer Lime Technology, made from hemp plants grown and harvested in the UK and lime based binder.

Hemp is one of the fastest growing biomasses and is often used in paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, health food and fuel.

It is estimated The Renewable House's carbon footprint will be around 20 tonnes lower than a traditional brick and block house. The hemp absorbs around five tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during its rapid growth period, which then becomes locked into the fabric of the building, making the thermal Hemp-Line walling solution 'carbon negative'.

The Renewable House meets level 4 of the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes - a national standard that measures the sustainability of homes against a set of design categories such as energy consumption and building materials. The Government's target was for all homes from 2016 to be built against Code Level 3 standards.

The Renewable House can be used in several configurations; detached, semi-detached and terraced, with little alteration to the basic design. Archial's modular system, which uses a timber frame and prefabricated panels that are assembled on site, reduce the time needed for onsite construction.

Archial Architects were commissioned by The Linford Group to design the energy efficient home as part of The Renewable House project that not only exceeds the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), but also offers an ideal solution to today's affordable housing requirement.

The Renewable House is being delivered by the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) with funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The house is being Project Managed by contractor The Linford Group who are managing the design development and construction, working with design partners Archial Architects.

Matthew Richardson, Associate at the Archial Group's Bournemouth division said, "We were delighted to have the opportunity to use our experience in sustainable design to meet the challenge set by The Linford Group. The result has delivered a highly green housing concept that exceeds the Government's home efficiency target and is both affordable and comfortable. I hope this design will become the benchmark for sustainable and affordable homes of the future."

The house's performance will be monitored over a three year period in order to establish evidence of the performance characteristics and the sustainability profile of the renewable building materials. It is anticipated the development will demonstrate that low costs and renewable building methods are compatible and together they provide a viable method of delivering sustainable, affordable homes.

The Renewable House is a unique housing project built on the BRE Innovation Park in Watford, which also exhibits other near zero-carbon demonstration properties and has attracted over 30,000 visitors so far including HRH Prince of Wales.

Source: The Archial Group

News-Hemp cars? The marijuana mobile might not be far off

2009-06-05T19:52:43Z

Another fun story... Up where it is legal to grow they are making great strides in the technology surrounding industrial hemp

Original story posted here

Hemp cars? The marijuana mobile might not be far off

Calgary firm working on prototype

By David Finlayson, Edmonton Journal

June 5, 2009

A car made of hemp may sound like someone's wacky fantasy, but it's as real as General Motors' bankruptcy.

Motive Industries in Calgary is building a vehicle using panels and other parts made of a hemp fibre material that's lighter and cheaper than glass fibre.

It's being put together to try to win the$10 millionXPrizecompetition for the car that gets 100 miles to the gallon and beats other green cars in a race.

And Motive will benefit from the $15 million Alberta Biomaterials Development Centre announced Thursday, says John Wolodko, polymers group leader at Alberta Research Council.

The structural components of the car, which will start trials in mid June, will still be made of more traditional materials, said Wolodko, whose team is helping with the Motive project.

Eventually more environmentally friendly fibres made of hemp and flax will replace glass fibre in cars and other manufacturing processes, he said.

"Some European car manufacturers are already using bio-materials."

The new centre, to be set up at ARC's agricultural research facility in Vegreville and at the University of Alberta, will also help Pildysh Technologies, which is developing portland cement blocks impregnated with bio-fibres that make them lighter and stronger.

Calgary-based Pildysh is a couple of years away from marketing a product, and vice-president Richard Bueble said the new centre should help speed the process.

"It's a big jump to go from lab-scale research to manufacturing, and the resources at the centre will be a big help. Hopefully, we can attract some investor interest as well," Bueble said.

The centre will give companies access to expertise, test facilities, scale-up equipment and customer demonstration support.

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology will provide $9 million in equipment funding over three years, while $6 million worth of in-kind support will come from Agri-culture and Rural Development and ARC.

Advanced Education and Technology Minister Doug Horner said it's vital that Alberta take advantage of technology to add markets for our renewable resources.

"We need to build on our traditional industries, and the centre will be a catalyst for that. We're ready to help agriculture and forestry be part of the convergence of new bio-industry technologies."

Many new agriculture and forestry-based products are already in development in Alberta, but the key is getting them to the marketplace, Horner said.

And it's more than just strawboard, which has been around for years, he said.

Scientists now take the feedstock, whether it's wood or plant fibre, down to the molecular level and build up from there, he added.

Apart from the potential for jobs in an emerging industry, it gives farmers and forestry companies more economic options, Horner said.

"The more customers you get bidding for your product, the better it is for the producer."

Sustainable Resource Minister Ted Morton said it's important the forestry industry to develop new markets with the collapse of the U.S. housing sector.

And even turning its waste materials into new bio-products will help, said Morton, whose department will act as liaison between the centre and the forestry industry.

dfinlayson@thejournal.canwest.com