Hemp Cultivation:
Yes I Cannabis
Thomas O’Connell
Brian Rubino
Buzzy Shaul
Beth Spergel
Akbar Alikhan

Hemp vs. Marijuana
• United States Na>onal Ins>tute of Health, University of Mississippi marijuana planta>on
site, showing varia>on in plant size. A tall fiber-type of hemp plant is shown at leJ, and a
short narco>c variety (iden>fied as “Panama Gold”) at right.

Hemp vs. Marijuana
Difference as to how marijuana and hemp
would appear in the field.
Cannabis sativa
• species from which both hemp and
marijuana are derived
• single plant genus that contains
cannabinoids
- delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC)
o psychoactive ingredient
- cannabidiol (CBD)
o 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

Uses of Hemp
• Benefits of Hemp
• one of the Earth’s most lucra>ve
biomass resources
– can produce ten tons per acre in
approximately four months
• Fuel
• Food
• Paper
• Biodegradable plas>cs
• Par>cle board
• Animal bedding
• tex>les
• requires minimal, if any, biocides,
pes>cides and/or herbicides
• approximately 25,000 known uses

Dietary Advantages
Food
-nutri>ous food source
-contains all essen>al amino acids and essen>al
faZy acids
-33% pure diges>ble protein
-Advantages over soy bean
A variety of studies have documented the
importance of the ra>o of Omega 3 to Omega 6
consump>on. Hemp seed oil is the closest to this
op>mum ra>o of any naturally occurring oil. Hemp
seed oil has a ra>o of at least one-to-three, Omega
3 to Omega 6. Oils with unbalanced ra>os have
been shown to have detrimental physiological
effects.

Industrial Advantages
Paper
• One acre of hemp can produce
as much useable fiber as four
acres of trees or two acres of
coZon
• Hemp can be cul>vated in as
liZle as 100 days
• Acid-free
• Chlorine-free
• Compared to paper made from
trees, hemp paper is:
– Stronger
– Longer las>ng
– Can be recycled more >mes
• Would help prevent
deforesta>on and loss of
biodiversity
Advantages over coZon
• warmer
• stronger
• more water absorbent
• more durable
• UV resistant
• Frost resistant
• Requires liZle, if any, biocides, pes>cides
and/or herbicides, whereas coZon
requires many

Government Opinion
Hemp regula>on 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 inspec>ons and tes>ng

Government Opinion
US Government’s View Towards Industrial Hemp
• Not posi>ve
• The United States Na>onal Ins>tute 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 cul>vated are legi>mate
– (2) u>liza>on 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 cons>tuents) 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 prohibi>on

U.S. Opposition to Domestic Hemp
Cultivation
• Hemp’s Link to Marijuana
– Cultural percep>ons cause low desire to legalize cul>va>on
– Hemp and hemp products have a nega>ve social connota>on
– Poli>cal and social opposi>on is unfounded due to scien>fic evidence
– Hemp should not be classified as a drug or associated with marijuana
– U.S. DEA has objected to domes>c hemp cul>va>on due to poten>al regula>on expenses
– Hemp cul>va>on could eliminate illegally grown marijuana

U.S. Opposition to Domestic Hemp
Cultivation
• Capitalis>c greed caused hemp’s current legal status
– Hemp was regulated as an agricultural product during early 20th century
– DuPont’s profitable pes>cide and herbicide business threatened by hemp
– Hearst’s nega>ve publicity of hemp due to >mber investments
– Today: Hemp is a threat to powerful established lobbying industries
• Raw materials: i.e. coZon, >mber, oil
• Manufacturing: i.e. paper, plas>cs, ethanol
– Ini>al change to hemp cul>va>on could be costly, but ul>mately more profitable and
sustainable

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 >me to plant before the end of the growing season).
• June 2007 – Monson and Hauge file lawsuit against DEA for delay
• Con>nual baZle between farmers and DEA

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

Opposition
• Opponents of this legaliza>on 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 legaliza>on.

Rationale
• “This is not any subversive thing like trying to legalize marijuana or whatever. This is just
prac>cal agriculture. We’re desperate for something that can make us some money.”
-David C. Monson, Farmer, high school principal and Republican state legislator in
North Dakota

If Hemp produc-on is profitable, then
world produc-on will be thriving and
trade vigorous

• Never any debate over legality of crop
• World’s 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
country’s agricultural acreage
• Increasing foreign demand for Hemp products, driven by European and North American
consumers
• Foreign price is high, but Domes>c price remains low
• Poor Market Structure = Poor Response
• Chinese policies favor Grain produc>on
• Hemp is not a priority of the state when determining markets. But, Chinese Na>onal
Hemp Industry has pushed for more Research and Development, as well as beZer
technologies
• Hemp is currently at 10% of state’s CoZon output, 20% is projected goal
Case Study #1:
People’s Republic of China

Case Study #2:
European Union
• Licensing
– THC in plant must be less than 0.2% (as compared to 15% in narco>c Cannabis)
– There Is a set amount of only 14 varie>es, experimenta>on in breeding is discouraged
• Formal applica>on required with inten>on of area to be used for cul>va>on
• Subsidies
– Sample of crop must be sent in for tes>ng
– Begun in 1988, but amount has decreased due to reported problems with illegal drug
ac>vity
– Recently renewed = 90 €
• Hemp for Europe campaign
– massive Research and Development effort

. . . and Canada
• To obtain a license from Ministry of Health, THC < 0.3%
• Hemp trade only possible with certain licensed countries with restric>ons
• No Whole Plants!
• Chemical processing technology to remove pec>n
– creates a whiter, soJer, fabric

Why isn’t the world market thriving?
• An>- Narco>cs laws necessitate regula>on and lots of red tape in Europe and Canada -
trade severely limited
• In China, a case of ins>tu>onal failure in building an interna>onal market
• No true cost effec>ve means of processing the plant for fiber and various other
components
– technology lacking
• Industrial Hemp faces compe>>on from established commodi>es like CoZon (tex>les),
Timber (paper), Soy (food), and Petroleum (oils and plas>cs)
• Not a “miracle” plant- different varie>es are necessary to yield different products
• Na>on of greatest consump>on (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

Potential Certainly Exists
• California firm Hemptech es>mated Interna>onal 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

Connection to NTRES 331
Survivalist
• Would support its efficiency (less likelihood of deple>on)
– Produces up to ten tons per acre in only 4 months
– Quickly renewable resource
Prometheans
• Due to efficient produc>on, no real need to strictly conserve - Only a transi>on from one
resource to another
• Hemp is the new alterna>ve
– As tradi>onal resources dwindle, new (less-expensive) alterna>ve then become commonly
used

Proposed Hemp Governance
Combina>on of Top-Down Regula>on and Market –Based incen>ves Government’s
Role:
• Set standards for maximum THC content
• Develop licensing system
State/Local Role:
• Perform regular THC analyses
• Maintain crop records
Market Based Incen>ves
• Government could provide subsidies for hemp cul>va>on
– Similar to EU strategy
• Costs involved would have to outweigh costs incurred by Government (subsidies,
licensing, etc)
An integral part of M & K’s third epoch towards sustainability

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