Alex Albuagh Industrial Hemp “A tall, coarse plant, Cannabis Sativa, that is native to Asia but naturalized or cultivated in many parts of the world and is the source of a valuable fiber as well as marijuana and hashish.”

History Illegal in every state since 1937 due to the Marijuana Tax Act. Over 25,000 useful products made from hemp Can be used to make products such as paper, fabric, rope, food, building supplies, cosmetics, plastics, fuel, etc. Cultivated for over 12,000 years Required to grow hemp in the early colonial days George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew it Benjamin Franklin owned a hemp paper mill

Uses Seeds Food Nuts, protein powder, oils, cereal Chemicals Sun-block, lip balm, lotions Fiber Textiles, rope, cordage, composite fibers, aerospace and aviation (less flammable) Hurds Paper, animal bedding, oil absorbent, soil amendment, chemicals, plastics, fuels

Why Is It Illegal? April 29, August 14, 1951 William Randolph Hearst Newspaper chain owner as well as large investor in timber industry Worried hemp paper would overtake paper from timber Became large advocate in fight against marijuana Propaganda schemes to frighten public to seeing the plant as evil “makes a murderer who kills for the love of killing” – William Randolph Hearst

THC vs. CDB THC is the psychoactive ingredient in medicinal marijuana that gets users “high” CBD is an anti-psychoactive ingredient that is found in the hemp plants Medical marijuana can have up to 20% THC and no CBD, where hemp has less than.3% THC and high levels of CBD Government and DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) refuse to see a difference in the two plants despite the two being as similar as a cousin is to oneself

Can You See the Difference?

The Debate Today Farmers and politicians are trying to convince the government as well as the DEA to separate the two plants and allow the cultivation and production of hemp for economic and natural resource benefits

Hempsters.

For Legalization Produce paper- 9 months vs. 20 years Hemp contains 70% cellulose and paper contains only 30% CDB is an “anti-marijuana” Marijuana and hemp look very different and harvest at different times of the year.3% vs. 20% “You would have to smoke a joint the size of a light pole to get high off hemp”- Hempsters USA would produce instead of consume 29 other countries already grow hemp

Against Legalization Whether “distant cousins” or not, is still marijuana Claim no difference in hemp and marijuana Won’t be able to distinguish differences in fly overs Farmers will grow high potency plants in hemp fields Use hemp to get high Kids will think it is okay to use marijuana because hemp is legal

Mediation The kids are most important Teach the drastic differences and educate the effects of smoking marijuana Educate the kids, as well as public, the differences between THC and CBD Education is crucial to the movement

Mediation Cont. Permit Must have appropriate land and intentions Background checks for felonies and drug related offenses Highly detailed records of growth and sale Taxed accordingly Must account for how much to be used for seed, grain, or fibers

Mediation Cont. No hemp plant may exceed.3% THC Random examinations will be made to test potency Made clear the law change is for economic and natural resource benefits only Random flyovers and any suspicious findings will result in examinations No field within 5 miles of a school Geographic locations of fields and holding centers must be given for any necessary examinations

Picture Credits abound-in-boulder/ abound-in-boulder/ the-seed/ the-seed/