Fact...Industrial hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa. It is a tall, slender, fibrous plant similar to flax.
Fact...Industrial hemp contains only minute amounts (less than 1%) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Hemp seed and stalk are not psychoactive and cannot be used as drugs.
Fact...Farmers worldwide -- including in Canada and throughout the European Union -- grow hemp commercially for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products.
Fact...Hemp grows without harmful pesticides, fungicides or herbicides. Hemp fiber and hemp-based products are legally imported to the U.S. in compliance with several economic treaties.
Fact...Hemp can help the environment by slowing climate change and lessening acid rain by switching to hemp ethanol and hemp bio-diesel fuels.
Fact...Currently, the United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop, even though several U.S. states have commissioned studies which have recommended hemp as a viable domestic crop.
Fact...Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery.
Fact...The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC.
Fact...Thomas Jefferson is one of hemp’s most famous growers. He grew it on his plantation as an industrial crop, selling the dried stalk to the U.S. Navy as outfitting material.
Fact...George Washington grew it too, harvesting the fibrous seed for a variety of commercial uses.
Fact...For more than a century, hemp was legal tender to pay American taxes.
Fact...In the 1930's, when machinery to develop hemp fibers into paper was becoming state-of-the art, industrial barons from the timber, newspaper, and the new plastics industries began a campaign to have hemp outlawed by spreading misinformation that hemp was the same as marijuana, and by using bigotry, hysteria and lies to convince the public and politicians that marijuana caused violent crimes to be committed by Mexicans and blacks.
Fact...In 1937, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, the effect of which was to prohibit cultivation of hemp in the U.S.
Fact...Half of all agricultural chemicals in the U.S. are used in conjunction with cotton growing. That means half the chemical runoff that is polluting our rivers and streams comes from cotton growing.
Fact...Hemp is the earth’s most versatile fiber and is responsible for thousands of products on the market today.
Fact...Hemp is used in apparel from socks and shoes to jackets and dresses; and in accessories from purses and backpacks to home furnishings like curtains and tablecloths.
Fact...The finest hemp fiber is delicate enough to be woven together with silk.
Fact...Hemp is Nature’s longest fiber, which means longer garment life as opposed to other plants’ shorter fibers.
Fact...Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and UV light. And hemp becomes softer with every wash as the fibers relax!
Fact...As a bonus to its superior quality, hemp suppresses weeds and leaves the soil rich in nitrogen deposits, increasing yields on rotational crops such as soybeans and corn.
Fact...Growing and using hemp contributes to a healthy and sustainable world!
Fact...Hemp is Nutritious, Tasty Food!
Fact...Hemp seeds are the world’s most nutritious seeds, and they taste great too!
Fact... Shelled hemp seeds taste like pine-nuts and are 33% protein, and rich in vitamin E and Omega-3 and GLA;
the healthy essential fatty acids doctors recommend.
Fact...Hemp contains no cholesterol or sodium!
Fact...Hemp’s profile of proteins and fats is the most complete and ideal for human nutrition.
Fact...No other plant source, not even the soybean, compares to hemp in its range and balance of nutritional benefits, making hemp the world’s premier food source.
Fact...Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and hemp seed contains the complete spectrum, including the eight essential ones.
Fact...Hemp seed also served as a primary food source during times of famine in China, Europe and Australia and more recently during World War II.
Fact...Hemp is a viable element in the fight against world hunger and is healthy for us all!!!
Opinion...Hemp seeds are delicious in cereal, smoothies, yogurt, peanut butter, soups, salads, and omelets.
Fact...It also is used to make hemp bread, beer, pasta, chips, dips, cheese substitutes, salad dressings, spreads, power-bars, ice cream and lactose-free milk.
Fact...Hemp oil is a highly nutritious, essential hair and skin aid for promoting growth and slowing the aging process.
Fact...Hemp has excellent healing and moisturizing properties for healing skin ailments and is particularly useful for people who suffer from eczema and psoriasis.
Fact...In the plant kingdom, hemp contains the highest amount of the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) critical for our bodies health and clinically proven to have biochemical and therapeutic effects when topically applied.
Fact...Hemp oil can be found in shampoo, soap, conditioner, hair gel, bath gel, moisturizer, lipstick and other cosmetic preparations
Fact...Hemp is Fuel!
Fact...Industrial hemp is the number one biomass producer on earth; an actual contender for an economically competitive, clean-burning fuel.
Fact...Planting only 6 percent of the continental United States with biomass crops such as hemp would supply all current domestic demands for oil and gas.
Fact...Hemp has four times the biomass and cellulose potential and eight times the methanol potential of its closest competing crop - corn.
Fact...Burning coal and oil are the greatest sources of acid rain. On the other hand, biomass fuels burn clean and contain no sulphur and produce no ash during combustion.
Fact...The Gutenberg bible - the first book made on a printing press- was printed on hemp paper. Almost 600 years later, the pages are still in good condition.
Fact...The original drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were also printed on hemp.
Fact...Hemp is the world’s best paper making material from a quality, environmental and sustainability standpoint.
Fact...One acre of hemp provides the same amount of pulping material grown in four acres of trees.
Fact...Hemp paper resists decomposition and does not yellow like tree-derived paper.
Fact...Hemp’s long outer fibers create superior quality paper for books and magazines.
Fact...Hemp’s short core fibers make superior newspaper, tissue paper and packaging materials.
Fact...Hemp paper processing mills do not require chlorine or other harsh chemicals that can end up in rivers, streams or the local water supply.
Fact...Best of all, hemp fiber is the strongest natural fiber in the world, which means it can be recycled several times more than paper made from wood or other alternative fibers.
Fact...Today, hemp is being used to produce caulking, cement, fiberboard, flooring, insulation, paneling, particle-board, plaster, plywood, reinforced concrete and roofing. The hardened material is resistant to rotting, rodents, insects and fire. It is many times lighter than cement and provides both thermal and sound insulation.
Fact...Concrete pipes reinforced with hemp fiber cost less than one third the price of conventional polypropylene (a material similar to plastic) reinforced concrete pipes and have greater flexibility and resistance to cracking.
Fact...Fiberboard made from hemp is twice as strong and three times more elastic than fiberboard made from wood. Because of its superior strength and flexibility, it is resistant to cracking and breaking and therefore excellent for areas susceptible to hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.
Fact...European tests indicate that hemp seed oil based natural surfactant cleaners work as well or better than those based on other oils such as coconut, soy or canola.
Fact...Hemp based products can clean everything from windows and furniture to jet airplane engines.
Fact...Hemp also can be used to make cars.
Fact...There are companies in the U.S. and Europe who make door panels and dashboards by compressing hemp fibers and adding resin or plastic.
Ford, Mercedes Benz and others have replaced more expensive and dangerous fiberglass with hemp.
Fact...Hemp oil has a natural drying agent and is used in paints, varnishes and sealants which render wood highly resistant to water. In fact, up until 1937, all quality paints were made with a base of hemp oil.
Fact...Hemp also is being developed as a strong, light plastic-like material. Products such as CD trays have been manufactured which are 100% bio-degradable, sustainable, and economically superior to oil (petro-chemical) based plastics.
