REDISCOVERING INDUSTRIAL HEMP
Countries, such as France, Spain. China. India. Korea and satellite nations
of the former Soviet Union have been cultivating industrial hemp for years.
A 1961 United Nations Single Convention Treaty specifically allows cultivation
of cannabis for industrial purposes. and the more recent NAFTA and GATT
international trade agreements recognize hemp as a valid agricultural crop.
These international agreements form the basis for reintroducing industrial
hemp today.
Some Western countries that had earlier followed the U.S. in banning industrial
hemp, have recently changed their legislation.
Canada granted its first public research permit for industrial hemp cultivation
in 1994. In 1995 it granted 12 permits, including one for seed production
and two for research test plots maintained by the government agricultural
departments.
Australia has also begun growing low-THC hemp on an experimental basis.
Field trials are being conducted in Tasmania and South Australia, and a
two-year study is under way at the University of Tasmania to see whether
hemp cultivation would be viable under local conditions. Two major paper
companies are conducting their own laboratory pulping trials using materials
from the experimental fields with a view to utilizing hemp as a strengthening
supplement to wood and straw based paper.
[1]
In Great Britain commercial hemp cultivation, though still on a small scale,
is under way. Under licenses from the UK Home Office 2000 acres were grown
in 1994, up from 1500 acres in 1993. Since the first British hemp was woven
into cloth in 1995, English hemp growers have been looking forward to supplying
the two biggest markets for ecological products in the world--the U.S. and
Germany--both of which had maintained their ban on industrial hemp. England's
advantageous position started eroding, however, when Germany legalized hemp
cultivation in late 1995.
Before the publication of the 1993 bestseller, The Rediscovery of
the Resource Hemp Cannabis Marihuana [Herer, Broeckers, KATALYSE]
there had been little visible interest in hemp in Germany. However, since
then a strong hemp lobby has emerged, consisting of Germany's principal
farmers' association, representatives from the textile and printing industry,
and environmental groups. While these groups set the stage, the legislative
changes came about through party and local government initiatives.
Four US states introduced industrial hemp bills in their 1996 legislatures:
Hawaii, Vermont, Colorado, and Missouri. Hawaii's bills were held in committee.
Colorado's bill [SB 67] passed the Senate but was defeated in the House.
Vermont's bill [H783] passed the House and is on its way to the Senate.
In Missouri the Hemp Production Act of 1996 [972] was heard, but not voted
on, in the Agricultural Committee.
Also in the U.S., an executive order [June 3, 1994. No. 12919] signed by
President Clinton included hemp as a strategic food resource. The Commissioner
of Agriculture for the State of Kentucky, Ed Logsdon, announced in 1994
that "it's time to look at producing hemp on a commercial basis."
Outside of legislative chambers, hemp supporters have formed a multitude
of special interest organizations. One of the newest and largest
[2]
creations is the North American Industrial Hemp Council [October 1995].
A parallel organization, the Canadian
Hemp Council, was formed in Canada [February 1996].
Why this recent commotion about industrial hemp? The initiatives are driven
by economic and environmental visions of a flourishing hemp industry in
the future. The growing world population requires an increasing supply of
resources. Deforestation has been depleting the planet's timber supply while
the demand for paper skyrockets. Unlike trees, industrial hemp produces
two important resources from a single plant--cellulose and seed oil--so
it can be used to make high quality paper or cloth. Compounding its benefits
is the short growing cycle for hemp: four months compared to at least seven
years for pulp trees.
VERSATILITY AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP
Industrial hemp produces three main raw materials: bast fiber, hurds, and
seeds. Using these three ingredients in different manners make industrial
hemp a versatile product. Moreover, all hemp-based products, including plastics,
are biodegradable.
Construction Materials
[e.g. paneling, fiberboard, cement blocks. insulation material]: According
to Dave Seber. former president of C&S, a research and development company
exploring fibroid alternatives, the future importance of hemp will probably
not lie in the areas that hemp has traditionally been associated with, e.g.
textiles, but rather in "composites," such as medium density boards
and cement-like materials.
Russia, Poland and other Eastern European countries already manufacture
composite boards from hemp and other plant materials. In the U.S., researchers
at the Washington State Wood Composite Laboratory are working on further
refining the technology for hempbased medium density fiberboards. In fact,
some of the
[3]
first [19951 Canadian hemp crop was contracted to produce samples of such
boards. Though of excellent quality, the boards are not yet economical and
their future profitability depends on the price of woodchips. which have
been fluctuating greatly over the last year. Hemp hurds, alone or blended
with wood. can be used in existing mills without major changes in equipment.
Paper
In 1916 the USDA reported that hemp hurds could produce four times as much
paper per acre as trees. With increased yields and improved technology this
may now be higher. In addition, hemp paper is stronger. can be recycled
more often, and lasts longer than tree paper.
Currently, all hemp paper sold in the US is manufactured abroad and must
be imported, resulting in prices that are 2-3 times higher than tree paper.
Kimberly Clarke, an American Fortune 500 company which manufactures hemp
paper for cigarettes and Bibles in France, sells much of their cigarette
paper to American companies. Tree Free EcoPaper of Oregon imports paper
manufactured in China. The company is in the process of building a paper
mill in Oregon that would create 400 new jobs, but without a domestic hemp
supply, raw materials will have to be imported, keeping prices high. Germany's
largest paper manufacturer has recently converted two mills for hemp-based
paper production. Small specialty mills can convert to hemp without too
much difficulty and expense, but large scale paper mills would need to retool
40-60% of their equipment.
Textiles
[e.g. diapers, denim, shoes, fine textiles]: As one of the strongest natural
fibers available, hemp is an excellent raw material for making various kinds
of rope and twine. It is also used to make a wide range of textile products
from fine linens to coarse canvas. [Incidentally, the word canvas is derived
from cannabis.]
Given currently available technology, production costs for hemp textiles,
relative to other fibers, are still high. Bast fibers, such as hemp, tend
to have high production
[4]
costs because they make up only a certain portion of the plant system and
must be separated from the rest of the stem before they can be used in textile
or paper production. Besides being labor intensive. the processing of hemp
is also hard on existing baling equipment, as it will tend to wrap around
the cylinder.
There is, however, a growing market for hemp fabric. Several companies in
the US produce textile products from imported hemp fabric. Wait Disney Co.
carries hemp products. Esprit will soon begin offering hemp clothes as part
of its collection. Fashion designer Calvin Klein has announced plans to
use hemp in his clothing lines. Deja Shoe, a company that produces footwear
from recycables and earth-friendly materials, will soon be offering hemp
shoes, and 100% hemp Converse All Stars are already available. Adidas, Vans
and other shoemakers are either marketing hemp-topped sneakers or planning
to do so.
Plastics
32-38% of hemp hurds and 53-74% of hemp bark is made up of cellulose, the
basic building block of plastics. Until the 1930s hemp-based cellophane,
celluloid and other products were common, and Henry Ford used hemp to make
car doors and fenders. Today hemp hurds can be used to make new plastic
or blended into recycled plastic.
Food Products
Hemp seeds are 20-25% protein. They can be used-to make non-dairy cheese,
milk, ice cream, and hemp butter. Food products made out of hemp seed are
high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and Vitamin A.
Hemp seeds can also be pressed for their oil. Hemp seed oil is a rich source
of cholesterol fighting essential fatty acids (EFA). U.S. law allows imports
of sterilized hemp seeds, but such importation greatly increases production
costs while the sterilization process harms the nutritional value of the
seeds and hastens rancidity. Hemp seeds
[5]
are also commonly used in birdseed and as feed for domesticated animals.
Personal Hygiene
[soap, lip balm. cosmetics]: Hemp oil's high EFA content makes it a suitable
ingredient for cosmetics. Most moisturizing products that are on the market
today are made from saturated oils which are not absorbed by the skin cells,
but only coat the surface to prevent further moisture loss. In contrast,
lotions that are high in EFA's can be absorbed into the cells.
Paints and Varnishes
Until the 1930's, most paints were made from hemp and linseed oils. Beyond
coating the surface, hemp oil soaks into wood and preserves it.
High quality absorbents
Hemp products are excellent absorbents used in horse stables, cat litter,
or oil cleanups. They are more absorbent than wood shavings and compost
faster.
Other Products
Seed oil can be combined with 15% methanol to create a substitute for diesel
fuel which burns 70% cleaner than petroleum diesel. It is also a good base
for non-toxic printing inks. While such inks are currently made from soybeans,
hemp is higher in linoleic acids, which means it requires less processing
and is a superior drying oil. Hemp seed oil also makes a good all purpose
lubricant.
Cargill manufactures a line of 100% plant-based plastic silverware. Plant-based
plastics, such as shopping bags, are biodegradable and can be composted
at home. In Germany an 100% hemp oil-based laundry detergent is about to
go into production. The detergent's advantages include environmentally friendly
production and high biodegradability. It can also be made into an industrial
cleaner that removes oil and tar from textiles.
[6]
POTENTIAL VS. REALITY
Could industrial hemp [if its cultivation is legalized] lead to a thriving
industry, creating employment and profits? Theoretical potential and economic
realities are two different things. So far, legal constraints have prevented
industrial hemp from being grown on a large scale in most developed nations,
so that there has been little incentive to develop new technology that would
maximize hemp's profitability.
Community Development
The bottom line of growing hemp is the cost of transportation to a processing
center. Since hemp is a bulky crop, it is not cost-effective to ship hemp
far for processing. In terms of economies of scale this would appear to
be a disadvantage. However. in terms of community economic development,
hemp's bulkiness means that, if successful, hemp cultivation will lead to
local processing centers and jobs in small weaving factories or seed crushing
facilities, and pulp mills. Hemp holds the promise to revitalize certain
agricultural communities.
Research & Development
Technology to turn hemp into usable fiber and fiber into desired products
is available and new technological developments are under way. Silsoe College
in Bedforshire, Great Britain, for example, has developed a machine comparable
to the cotton gin machine, which over two hundred years ago helped reduce
the price of cotton a hundred fold. This "decorticator," which
is able to extract fiber from the stems of crops such as hemp and flax cheaply,
is now undergoing commercial trials. In Belgium a "scutching"
machine normally used to extract linen-grade fibers from flax, can also
extract fiber from hemp.
The primary focus in hemp technology has been on fiber processing. Work
coming out of German flax programs is now being applied to hemp, leading
to processes which include a steam explosion/cottonization process to produce
cotton-like short fiber. Further technological
[7]
modifications or innovations will be needed for full-scale processing of
hemp.
Some researchers in U.S. Department of Energy laboratories are studying
microorganisms that will detach crude cellulosic fibers from lignin, the
natural glue which holds plants together. The results could be applicable
to hemp by making a larger part of the plant usable as biomass for energy
production.
Seed
More research needs to be done to create strains of hemp that are low in
THC, high in fiber and productivity and suited to specific growing conditions.
Advances made in one geographic location are not necessarily optimal elsewhere.
In the past, France has been the leader in breeding a low-THC industrial
hemp seed that is suited to Europe's cool climate. New, non-French low-THC
hemp seed stock is under development in Europe and is expected to be certified
by the EEC in the near future.
Comparison with Other Crops
Industrial hemp has often been compared with other crops to show its high
profitability. As mentioned above, a 1916 Department of Agriculture report
found that an acre of industrial hemp produced four times as much dry fiber
as an acre of trees.
Other comparisons can be made, but an equally valid, perhaps even better
approach of looking at hemp is one of scaling down expectations and looking
at the minimum benefit. This is what Joe Hickey, head of the Kentucky Hemp
Growers Cooperative, does when talking to his farmers. He reminds them what
they will gain from growing hemp, even if hemp does not make a penny more
than a good crop of hay. Hemp is a good rotational crop which stabilizes
and enriches the soil, while keeping the field weed-free for the next planting
without the costs of herbicides. This is value added, which hay does not
provide. According to this view, anything beyond that
[8]
value, such as profits from a small decorticator or seed crushing facility,
would be an extra benefit to the community.
GROWING CONDITIONS OF HEMP
Hemp is an annual herbaceous plant that can grow to heights of 5-20 ft.
during a 3-4 month growing cycle. The plant's rapid growth suppresses weeds
and eliminates the need for herbicides, while its relative insensitivity
to insects and fungal diseases allows hemp farmers to forego the use of
pesticides and insecticides.
Hemp cultivation requires good soil conditions and sufficient supplies of
nitrogen and water, especially during the first six weeks. During the early
growth period it also requires fertilizer. Later in the growing cycle nutrients
are returned to the soil by falling leaves.
Male and female flowers are borne on different plants, though modern breeding
in Europe has produced "monoecious" [male and female flowers on
the same plant] varieties. Selecting monoecious strains overcomes the problem
of different maturation times between male and female plants and results
in stalks of more uniform height and weight.
After harvesting, the crop must be retted, a process by which the "glue"
[pectin] that holds the fibers and hurds together is broken down. This can
be done by simply leaving the hemp stalks lying in the field for 4-5 weeks
while mother nature naturally decomposes the pectin, but new retting technologies
produce better quality and more uniform fibers in less time.
Because industrial hemp has been grown primarily in moderate climates, most
of the available seeds are bred with those climactic conditions in mind.
A few low-THC and fiber-rich variety, suited to a slightly warmer climate,
are being developed in Hungary under the name of
[9]
Kompolti. It is well known that high-THC marijuana grows well in subtropical
climates, but more breeding to minimize THC content and maximize fiber productivity
in subtropical climates may be necessary.
POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING. THE CULTIVATION OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP
In the U.S. the major popular misconceptions about growing industrial hemp,
typically voiced by law enforcement agencies, relate to the THC content
of the plant.
Misconception #1: "Any plant with a 0.5-2.0% THC content can
induce intoxication."
The answer to this argument is fully developed in a scientific article [written
in German], authored by three individuals--two medical doctors and one Ph.D.
[Michael Karus, Franjo Grotenhermen, and Helmut Schaaf "Potential for
misuse of industrial hemp as a drug," in Bioresource Hemp Reader, April
1994]. The article draws on over thirty scientific studies on the effects
of the THC substance when smoked. Because smoking produces a greater effect
than oral ingestion, the results of these studies are not negated by situations
when THC is ingested orally. Below is a summary of two main points made-in
the article:
Point 1: There is no linear relationship between dosage and effect.
Smoking two hemp cigarettes, whatever the THC content, does not double the
effect of one cigarette. This means that industrial hemp with a THC content
of less than 0.3% does not produce a psycho-active effect even when consumed
in large quantities.
Research results consistently show 5-10 mg THC to be the minimal amount
to have any measurable effect. This
[10]
amount, though measurable, is not yet perceptible by the smoker. In order
to achieve the "desired" effect, the smoker needs 15-25 mg, while
30-35 mg would produce a very strong "high." Since studies also
show that the effect depends on the THC being inhaled in a short period
of time, the amounts for minimal and desired effectiveness presuppose inhalation
within a very short time span.
A marijuana cigarette may be smoked as pure marijuana or mixed with tobacco.
The typical cigarette weighs 800-900 mg and is smoked in about 6 [if fast]
to 18 [if slow] minutes. The THC in the brain becomes traceable 14 seconds
after first inhaling the substance. THC content in the blood plasma reaches
a peak after about 3 to 8 minutes during the smoking process, and then falls
rapidly again, even with continued smoking. The maximum euphoric effect
is reached in 20-30 minutes. and occurs after the THC plasma peak. The effect
stays for about 3 hours.
Using these figures, an average 800-900 mg cigarette made from 0.3% THC
industrial hemp contains 2.4 to 2.7 mg of THC, which means that a cigarette
made from industrial hemp does not achieve the minimal standard [5-10 mg]
and is far less than the "desirable" standard [15-25 mg].
After feeling no effects from a low THC cigarette, it is unlikely that smokers
would continue smoking this "brand." But even if they did, the
effect of THC on the body would not be cumulative.
Point 2: CBD as an antidote. In addition to THC, hemp also contains
a substance called cannabidiol [CBD] which functions as an antidote to THC.
A CBD:THC proportion of 2:1 largely suppresses THC's psychoactive effects.
While all cannabis contains both substances, industrial hemp is low in THC
[typically 0.06-0.3%] and high in CBD [>0.5%], accounting for a CBD:THC
proportion of over 5: 1.
[11]
Marijuana, on the other hand, is high in THC and low in CBD [<0.5%].
A chemical analysis of about 100 hemp varieties found about 40 non-drug
varieties with THC:CBD proportions smaller than 1:5. In contrast. the eight
drug varieties in the study had large THC:CBD proportions ranging from 2.3:1
.to 7.4: 1.
The significance of these numbers lies in the fact that industrial hemp,
even if it were to induce a "high" [which it does not] comes along
with an inbuilt countereffect: CBD. [An interesting side note: Low-THC high
CBD hemp cigarettes have been successfully used to help chronic marijuana
smokers shed their addiction.]
Misconception #2: "The effort to legalize hemp is a ruse to legalize
the drug."
There is an increase in the number of groups, companies and individuals
who are supporting the cultivation of industrial hemp. In January 1996,
the American Farm Bureau Federation, representing 4.6 million members, endorsed
industrial hemp by stating: "We recommend that American Farm Bureau
Federation encourage research into the viability and economic potential
of industrial hemp production in the United States. We further recommend
that such research includes planting test plots in the United States using
modern agricultural techniques." The Colorado and Kentucky farm bureaus,
along with other farming associations, are also in support, while environmental
groups see hemp as an alternative for trees for paper.
Companies such as International Paper, Masonite, and Inland Container Corporation
have expressed an interest in hemp as an alternative fiber source. The International
Paper Company (IP), which has 72,000 employees and annual revenues of $513
billion, sent four representatives to participate in the founding session
of the North American Industrial Hemp Council in
[12]
Minneapolis [October 1995]. Half a year earlier [March 1995], the Bioresource
Hemp Symposium, the largest-ever such meeting and trade show was held in
Frankfurt, Germany. Two hundred and forty participants from 20 countries
attended, predominantly researchers including scientists, engineers, and
developers of hemp-based products.
Influential political leaders have gone on record in support of industrial
hemp cultivation. Canada's Health Minister Diane Marleau called hemp "an
excellent commercial and industrial type of crop" with "a great
deal of potential." In Germany, Health Minister Horst Seehofer supported
lifting the ban on hemp cultivation, saying "we now have strains of
hemp which contain such small amounts of the drug THC that they cannot be
used for drug production. The principal argument against a continuing ban
on hemp cultivation is therefore no longer valid."
Additional evidence that the current movement pushing for legal hemp cultivation
is not tied to marijuana advocates lies in the fact the fact that those
countries which have legalized industrial hemp have not changed their drug
and marijuana laws.
Misconception #3: "Legally cultivated hemp fields will be used
to camouflage marijuana patches."
Fields of industrial hemp are ill suited to serve as cover-up for marijuana
patches. Industrial hemp is planted about 1-3 inches apart in order to produce
long stalks with a minimum of branching. The density means that it is impossible
to enter a field without leaving a noticeable trail. In addition, low-THC
male industrial hemp pollen destroys the value of any nearby female marijuana
plants. The THC content in marijuana is highest in the flower but drops
sharply with pollination. For this reason marijuana growers eliminate their
male plants in order to prevent pollination. Thus, they would be highly
[13]
unlikely to chose industrial hemp as a cover crop. Another factor is that
male hemp plants die earlier than their female counterparts, which means
that hemp, unless grown for seed.,is harvested before the female plant flowers
and produces seeds.
Misconception #4: "There is no satisfactory licensing system
to permit hemp production."
Licensing systems have been developed in Europe, Australia and Canada and
are written into legislation proposed to U.S. legislatures.
The control system in the U.K., where hemp is grown under licenses from
the Home Office, has generally worked well. In 1993 there were a few problems
with plants being stolen from some industrial hemp fields by people looking
for a drug source. By 1995, however. potential drug users appear to have
gotten the message that industrial hemp serves them no purpose and have
left hemp fields alone.
The hemp bills that were introduced in Colorado and Vermont 1996 both contained
detailed licensing provisions. The Vermont bill [H. 783] requires all hemp
growers to obtain a state and a federal license. The state license will
be valid for 24 months and not transferable. In order to receive it the
applicants mus