marijauna legalization Essay

Where Cannabis hemp differentiates from Cannabis marijuana is the amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabiniods, what gives you the high) each contain. Hemp contains at most 1.5% and as little as 0.3% THC where marijuana can contain from 5% to 20% THC. Cannabis hemp also contains a higher amount of Cannabidiol also known as CBD which counteracts the effects of THC and reduces the neurological effects of THC. The hemp plant itself cannot contain more than the 1.5% THC because of its composition addressed on Hempethics.weebly.com, "The reason for the low THC content in hemp is that most THC is formed in resin glands on the buds and flowers of the female cannabis plant. Industrial hemp is not cultivated to produce buds, and therefore lacks the primary component that forms the marijuana high." Some dispute that if hemp is legalized it will be made to produce marijuana products which is scientifically impossible. Besides its chemical breakdown, the fibers in hemp are so durable they can be used as a substitute in place of wood materials. Its density is like that of bamboo and produces four times as much fiber per acre as pine trees which can help with problems like deforestation and green house effects.

II. [Topic Statement] First, hemp fibers from the stalks of the Cannabis plant have countless uses.

Just the mention of the word Cannabis in today’s society brings about all types of negative connotations. This is understandable due to the major propaganda campaign that has been waged by the U.S. government on the plant. Most citizens have no idea what a mature Cannabis plant looks like, and close to none recognize the thousands of uses it has. This is paper will not discuss whether drug-type Cannabis should be legalized for recreational or medicinal purposes, what it will discuss is the many environmentally friendly products that can be made from non-psychoactive hemp.

Specific Purpose: To provide my audience with a better understanding of how useful industrial hemp could be for the economy.

One of the first things about marijuana history that the American public still doesn 't understand is that cannabis, was once very legal to grow in the United States. In fact, up until 1883 it was one of the largest agricultural crops in the world, including America.(The Union) But it wasn’t grown for the psychoactive plant cannabis sativa. Cannabis hemp, which carries a fraction of the amount of THC, (the compound in marijuana that attributes to the high feeling) was and is used all over the world, producing the overall majority of Earth’s fiber, fabric, paper, and medicines.(Herer,20) Hemp has a deep American History as well, from the gardens of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to the 8,327 American hemp plantations counted in the 1850 census.(Herer,15) Yet the Federal government now recognizes cannabis as a Schedule I drug with no medical value, and 23 States have legalized cannabis for medicinal use. (The Union) Even though some western states such as Oregon and Colorado are making legal changes to marijuana policy at the state level, the most beneficial marijuana law we could pass is and always has been the Nationwide legalization of industrial Cannabis Hemp.

Hemp produces one of the strongest fibers known to mankind, it is a versatile plant that provides for foods, combustibles, bioplastics.

Hemp is the perfect substitution for making paper than trees. There are about 220 million pounds of toxic pollution that are let out into the air and water annually during the process of making paper from trees. At the same time, deforestation also drives climate change and reduces the filtration of carbon dioxide to oxygen. Most species of trees can take up to thirty years to be grown to harvest opposed to hemp that can be grown within the span of months. Also, because hemp is a reusable resource, hemp paper can be recycled up to 7 times, when paper made from trees can only be recycled a maximum of 3 times. By using hemp paper could have a tremendous effect in the way the war on global warming is

A group of discoverers uncovered hemp cord pottery at an ancient village dating back to around 8,000 B.C. Hemp was one of the oldest known agrarian crops. There were traces of hemp use and cultivation located in the area of modern day Taiwan. (10,000-year History) “Agriculture is not natural; it is a human invention. It is also the basis of modern civilization.” (Hamilton, Richard) 2009 Scientific American article pg. 1: Throughout history, people have used hemp as a source of fiber. Hemp was brought over to Europe between 1000-2000 B.C. Eventually, the crop was brought to South America around 1545 for plantation growing. Almost all hemp produce in the United States was located in Kentucky until 1912. (Small, Ernest and Marcus, David)

My step dad had a pair of hemp jeans in high school. They lasted him over 10 years, until he got too big to fit them anymore. He gave them to a friend who still wears those pants made of hemp. Cotton is much more difficult to grow than hemp because cotton is addicted to chemical elixirs. It requires a lot of artificial fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides for it to be able to grow well. When cotton is ripe, the leaves have to be knocked off with defoliants before the bolls can be harvested. Hemp is by far a much better alternative to grow. It does not require any herbicides and it actually cleanses the land instead of depleting it of nutrients. Making paper from hemp is far more economical and environmentally friendly than making paper from trees. Wood-based paper pulp is brown from the cooking process thus requiring it to be bleached which releases toxins into the environment. Hemp paper is naturally bright with no bleaching necessary. The nation could reduce unsustainable logging if American farmers were allowed to grow hemp which produces twice as much fiber per acre as an average forest. Hemp is a clean, renewable option that can replace virtually all products made with non-renewable hydrocarbons like oil and coal (Williams).

crop with a vivid history spanning centuries. However, the hemp plant has been faced with controversy in the last 70 years. The industry is experiencing restrictions that are thought to be imposed by the current social, economic and political atmosphere surrounding key stakeholders, rather than any technical inferiority. Education regarding this subject seems inadequate and appears restricted to those who actively research the topic themselves. As a fiber and oilseed crop, hemp offers agricultural potential as well as the ability to be manufactured into valuable end uses. Possibilities exist for expanded growth in hemp markets and a closer look should be taken to reexamine the current situation

The earth is 4.6 billion years old, if you scale that to forty-six years we have been here for only 4 hours. Our industrial revolution began 1 minute ago. In that time we have destroyed more than 50% of the world’s forest and used most of our fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable energy source because it take millions of years to form. We are quickly using up our natural resources and destroying our planet.

Hemp has many ways it can put oxygen back into the air. One of the best ways it can give us cleaner air, other than through the automotive industry, is by replacing wood made paper with paper made from hemp. According to George Antonio from Drexel University, “until the 1880’s between 75% and 90% of paper was made with hemp fiber.” Many major documents such as the first draft of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and even Benjamin Franklin’s newspapers were made from hemp paper. They utilized hemp for many reasons, and one of those was to save us from deforestation, which is becoming a big problem for endangered species and the state of our air. Hemp takes 90-120 days to mature while trees take 20-80 years. Since hemp was banned in 1937, 70% of America’s natural forests have been destroyed, and the demand for paper is only growing and is expected to double in the next 20-30 years.

Even our flags were from cannabis fibers. Best of all they come pesticide free! 75-90% of all paper in the world was made with cannabis hemp fiber including paper for books, Bibles, maps, paper money, stocks & bonds, newspaper, etc. Hemp paper lasted 50 to 100 times longer.” (DigitalHemp)

People have been using hemp to make textiles for thousand of year. Hemp was used in clothing, rope, and even in the sails of the first ships to sailed across the Atlantic ocean. This is probably because hemp fibers are stronger than cotton fibers, so thay do not deteriorate as quickly as cotton does. Like cotton hemp fibers soften after washing but they remain strong

Throughout American history our country has come to rely on many different natural resources. With technology and the population increasing, the number of fossil fuel reserves and natural forests are going down. What America needs is a renewable source of fuels and fibers that will meet the growing needs of the future, but will not damage our environment. One of the most promising sources of fiber, fuel, and natural oil is hemp. Hemp, also known as Cannabis Sativa L, has been used in our country since the early 17th century (Schreiber 160). Although hemp is considered an illegal drug, many people forget that it is a part of our country’s history. Despite its negative connotations, hemp has the potential to revolutionize the paper,