Hemp Cultivation: Yes I Cannabis

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Hemp CultivationYes I Cannabis

• Thomas OConnell
• Brian Rubino
• Buzzy Shaul
• Beth Spergel
• Akbar Alikhan

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(No Transcript)
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Hemp vs. Marijuana

• United States National Institute of Health,
  University of Mississippi marijuana plantation
  site, showing variation in plant size. A tall
  fiber-type of hemp plant is shown at left, and a
  short narcotic variety (identified as Panama
  Gold) at right.

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Hemp vs. Marijuana

• Cannabis sativa
• species from which both hemp and marijuana are
  derived
• single plant genus that contains cannabinoids
• delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
• psychoactive ingredient
• cannabidiol (CBD)
• an antipsychoactive ingredient
• Industrial hemp has trace levels of THC and high
  levels of CBD
• Marijuana, one the other hand, has high levels of
  THC and low levels of CBD

• Difference as to how marijuana and hemp would
  appear in the field.

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Uses of Hemp

• Benefits of Hemp
• one of the Earths most lucrative biomass
  resources
• can produce ten tons per acre in approximately
  four months
• Fuel
• Food
• Paper
• Biodegradable plastics
• Particle board
• Animal bedding
• textiles
• requires minimal, if any, biocides, pesticides
  and/or herbicides
• approximately 25,000 known uses

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Dietary Advantages

• A variety of studies have documented the
  importance of the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6
  consumption. Hemp seed oil is the closest to this
  optimum ratio of any naturally occurring oil.
  Hemp seed oil has a ratio of at least
  one-to-three, Omega 3 to Omega 6.
• Oils with unbalanced ratios have been shown to
  have detrimental physiological effects.

• Food
• -nutritious food source
• -contains all essential amino acids and essential
  fatty acids
• -33 pure digestible protein
• -Advantages over soy bean

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Industrial Advantages

• Paper
• One acre of hemp can produce as much useable
  fiber as four acres of trees or two acres of
  cotton
• Hemp can be cultivated in as little as 100 days
• Acid-free
• Chlorine-free
• Compared to paper made from trees, hemp paper is
• Stronger
• Longer lasting
• Can be recycled more times
• Would help prevent deforestation and loss of
  biodiversity

• Advantages over cotton
• warmer
• stronger
• more water absorbent
• more durable
• UV resistant
• Frost resistant
• Requires little, if any, biocides, pesticides
  and/or herbicides, whereas cotton requires many

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Government Opinion

• US Governments View Towards Industrial Hemp
• Not positive
• The United States National Institute on Drug
  Abuse (NIDA) voices several basic fears about
  legalizing hemp
• (1) growing Cannabis plants makes law enforcement
  more difficult, because of the need to ensure
  that all plants cultivated are legitimate
• (2) utilization of industrial hemp products may
  make marijuana use more acceptable
• (3) many of the movements supporters are
  pro-marijuana advocates
• 4) THC (and perhaps other constituents) in
  Cannabis are so harmful that their presence in
  any amount in any material (food, medicine or
  even fiber product) represents a health hazard
  that is best dealt with by a total prohibition

• Hemp regulation in Canada
• Strict licensing process
• Only government approved low-THC hemp grown and
  purchased from authorized seed vendors
• Applicant background checks
• GPS coordinates of hemp fields
• Random inspections and testing

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U.S. Opposition to Domestic Hemp Cultivation

• Hemps Link to Marijuana
• Cultural perceptions cause low desire to legalize
  cultivation
• Hemp and hemp products have a negative social
  connotation
• Political and social opposition is unfounded due
  to scientific evidence
• Hemp should not be classified as a drug or
  associated with marijuana
• U.S. DEA has objected to domestic hemp
  cultivation due to potential regulation expenses
• Hemp cultivation could eliminate illegally grown
  marijuana

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U.S. Opposition to Domestic Hemp Cultivation

• Capitalistic greed caused hemps current legal
  status
• Hemp was regulated as an agricultural product
  during early 20th century
• DuPonts profitable pesticide and herbicide
  business threatened by hemp
• Hearsts negative publicity of hemp due to timber
  investments
• Today Hemp is a threat to powerful established
  lobbying industries
• Raw materials i.e. cotton, timber, oil
• Manufacturing i.e. paper, plastics, ethanol
• Initial change to hemp cultivation could be
  costly, but ultimately more profitable and
  sustainable

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Case Study Hemp Legalization in North Dakota

• 2005- North Dakota legalizes growth of hemp,
  provided farmers acquire licenses.
• January 2007, Monson and Hauge acquired licenses
  from the state.
• February 2007, Applied to Federal DEA for
  licenses to grow hemp. Ask for decisions by April
  1 (with time to plant before the end of the
  growing season).
• June 2007 Monson and Hauge file lawsuit against
  DEA for delay 
• Continual battle between farmers and DEA

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Benefits of farming Hemp in North Dakota

• Farming is a large part of the economy
• 1993, Scab, a fungus also known as Fusarium,
  Destroys wheat crop in N.D.
• Hemp grows very will in Canada, just north of
  N.D.
• Hemp suits the rocky soil in the area

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• Opponents of this legalization claim that there
  is really no economic benefit to legalizing Hemp.
  
• Claim that the farmers are being used by the
  marijuana advocates - the only people who would
  benefit from this legalization.

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• This is not any subversive thing like trying to
  legalize marijuana or whatever. This is just
  practical agriculture. Were desperate for
  something that can make us some money.
• -David C. Monson, Farmer, high school principal
  and Republican state legislator in
• North Dakota

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If Hemp production is profitable, then world
production will be thriving and trade vigorous
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Case Study 1 Peoples Republic of China

• Never any debate over legality of crop
• Worlds largest producer of Hemp fibers and Hemp
  seed
• large force of cheap labor
• Although China contributes 40.6 of total world
  crop, it occupies only 0.3 of the countrys
  agricultural acreage
• Increasing foreign demand for Hemp products,
  driven by European and North American consumers
• Foreign price is high, but Domestic price remains
  low
• Poor Market Structure Poor Response
• Chinese policies favor Grain production
• Hemp is not a priority of the state when
  determining markets
• But, Chinese National Hemp Industry has pushed
  for more Research and Development, as well as
  better technologies
• Hemp is currently at 10 of states Cotton
  output, 20 is projected goal

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Case Study 2 European Union

• Licensing
• THC in plant must be less than 0.2 (as compared
  to 15 in narcotic Cannabis)
• There Is a set amount of only 14 varieties,
  experimentation in breeding is discouraged
• Formal application required with intention of
  area to be used for cultivation
• Subsidies
• Sample of crop must be sent in for testing
• Begun in 1988, but amount has decreased due to
  reported problems with illegal drug activity
• Recently renewed 90
• Hemp for Europe campaign
• massive Research and Development effort

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. . . and Canada

• To obtain a license from Ministry of Health, THC
  lt 0.3
• Hemp trade only possible with certain licensed
  countries with restrictions
• No Whole Plants!
• Chemical processing technology to remove pectin
• creates a whiter, softer, fabric

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Why isnt the world market thriving?

• Anti- Narcotics laws necessitate regulation and
  lots of red tape in Europe and Canada, Trade
  severely limited
• In China, a case of institutional failure in
  building an international market
• No true cost effective means of processing the
  plant for fiber and various other components
• technology lacking
• Industrial Hemp faces competition from
  established commodities like Cotton (textiles),
  Timber (paper), Soy (food), and Petroleum (oils
  and plastics)
• Not a miracle plant- different varieties are
  necessary to yield different products
• Nation of greatest consumption (U.S.) is largely
  out of the picture
• Hemp needs a chance to move beyond the Novelty
  product sold in Health Food stores and
  Hand-Blown Glass shops

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But, potential certainly exists

• California firm Hemptech estimated International
  Market value
• 75 million in 1995
• 1.5 billion in 2001 and growing!
• American entry into the market and greater
  availability of Hemp products to American
  consumers could turn Industrial Hemp into the
  cash crop Washington envisioned

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Connection to NTRES 331

• Survivalist
• Would support its efficiency (less likelihood of
  depletion)
• Produces up to ten tons per acre in only 4 months
• Quickly renewable resource
• Prometheans
• Due to efficient production, no real need to
  strictly conserve
• Only a transition from one resource to another
• Hemp is the new alternative
• As traditional resources dwindle, new
  (less-expensive) alternative then become commonly
  used

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Proposed Hemp Governance

• Combination of Top-Down Regulation and Market
  Based incentives
• Governments Role
• Set standards for maximum THC content
• Develop licensing system
• State/Local Role
• Perform regular THC analyses
• Maintain crop records
• Market Based Incentives
• Government could provide subsidies for hemp
  cultivation
• Similar to EU strategy
• Costs involved would have to outweigh costs
  incurred by Government (subsidies, licensing,
  etc)
• An integral part of M Ks third epoch towards
  sustainability