COULD ONE PLANT SAVE THE EARTH? By Howard Anshell What if you could wave a magic wand and come up with a single plant that could help save the rain forests, power our cars cheaply, reduce pollution drastically, and preserve the precious knowledge that is crumbling away in libraries throughout the world? Sounds far-fetched, doesn't it? What if that very same plant could help ease the suffering of cancer patients, and actually prevent certain kinds of blindness? What if it could even feed the world's starving peoples more efficiently than any current food source, and clothe them in materials that would last far longer than what they now wear? If this all sounds like a fairy tale to you, let me tell you right now that no magic wand is necessary. A plant that can do all these things, and more, exists right now and grows in virtually every country of the world. That plant is Hemp -- Cannabis, known in the U.S. primarily as the intoxicant Marijuana. Most people are aware that, in our passion for paper goods, we have cut down too many trees already. Terrible damage has been done to the earth's fragile environment, particularly the vital rain forests of the world. A great deal of this destruction is caused by the world's ever-growing need for paper products. Not only are trees -- which supply a great deal of the oxygen we breathe -- being chopped down, but it takes tons of toxic chemicals to turn the pulp of these trees into paper. Ironically, the paper we have so diligently plundered our planet for is basically temporary. It is disintegrating so rapidly that libraries and universities all over the world are warning of the consequences. What is needed, then, is a source of pulp fiber that is cheaper, less polluting, and more durable than wood. Hemp is that fiber, and it's annually renewable. As a matter of fact, hemp was the source of much of the world's paper until this century. Most people don't know it, but the original draft of the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. Later, it was copied onto parchment for the final draft, but the hemp draft still exists more than 200 years later. Many books even older than that, printed on hemp paper, are still in existence today, whereas wood paper dissolves in less than a single century. But what of the cost? Is hemp cheaper to produce than wood paper? An acre of hemp can produce as much pulp as four acres of trees. Furthermore, the growing of hemp does not deplete the soil in the same manner as trees. Hemp can be grown annually, whereas trees take decades to replace. And hemp requires only one fifth of the chemicals to turn the same amount of pulp into paper. Thus, much of our irreplaceable rain forests could be left standing. The hemp plant's own natural production of oxygen, and the fact that it grows easily in many adverse climates, would help to reverse global warming. The oil extracted from hemp seeds can also be used to replace potentially dangerous linseed oil as a base for paint. Hemp could help to alleviate the "Greenhouse Effect" and cut water pollution. Hemp is also an extremely efficient plant to use for biomass instead of corn, the most popular source of biomass today; it can yield as much as eight times the methanol. In our search for cleaner fuels, methanol has been the most promising, but it currently costs more than gasoline. If hemp methanol could cut costs by that much, it would make the cleaner fuel cheaper so more people would use it. Hemp could help reduce auto emissions. Furthermore, hemp fiber can be used to make clothing. As with paper, hemp was, until this century, one of the primary sources of cloth, from the coarsest canvas (which was named after Cannabis) to the finest silk-like garments. There are still a few countries in the world which use hemp fiber for clothes; its durability is over 20 times greater than that of cotton. Perhaps even more astonishing is the seed of the Cannabis plant. It is a more efficient source of protein than the soybean. Mass production of hemp seeds alone could do a lot toward easing the tragedy of hunger. Hemp seeds can be made into a nutritious porridge, brewed into a tea, sprouted, or even used for animal feed. Hemp could help feed and clothe the world's starving children. Since the hemp plant is a weed which easily grows where most other plants, especially food crops, wither, it is an ideal plant to use in efforts to refoliate arid land and to retain topsoil. Hemp can help fight drought. If you're an environmentalist, or just care about solving the world's ecological problems, you should support efforts to legalize cannabis-hemp for industrial purposes. But there is another important use for the Cannabis plant, and the fact that our government is blocking this use should encourage every single American. I am speaking of the important and immediate medical relief that hemp can provide. Cannabis has been used as herbal medicine for a myriad of conditions throughout world history. Right now, in particular, we know of at least two extremely serious situations in which marijuana is the most effective medicine available. The first concerns cancer patients. Modern treatments for many kinds of cancer often involve the use of chemotherapy in order to kill or reduce the cancer. An unfortunate side effect of chemotherapy is that it causes severe nausea in the patient. Even Marinol, the government's synthesized THC drug, has to be swallowed to be administered, and the hardest thing for someone with severe nausea to do is to swallow something! For that matter, even when Marinol can be used, it is relatively ineffective; although THC is the primary active ingredient in Cannabis, it is augmented by dozens of other active ingredients, mixed as only Mother Nature can, each of which contributes to the overall effect. Only actual marijuana can help these people -- it alone relieves the feeling of nausea. Sometimes it even actually stimulates their appetites, enabling them to gain the considerable advantage of regular nourishment. Some AIDS patients can benefit similarly. The other medical use of Cannabis that is widely known is as a treatment to prevent the advance of glaucoma, a disease of pressure in the eyes, which ranks among the leading causes of blindness. Many glaucoma patients do not respond to other methods of therapy, and for them, pot is the only thing standing between them and the loss of their eyesight! NORML -- the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws -- has already fought for the right of cancer patients and glaucoma sufferers to use medical marijuana. They have even won a court case in the Drug Enforcement Agency's own courts; a DEA judge decided that marijuana should be reclassified as a recognized medicine, so that thousands of people who so desperately need it can obtain it legally and under controlled conditions. Unfortunately, the bureaucrats of the DEA have refused the judge's request to reclassify it, thus adding needlessly to the suffering of untold numbers of people who are already going through the agony of these diseases. Patients are forced to obtain the one drug that helps them illegally. The DEA's spurious reasoning is that letting anyone smoke marijuana, even for medical reasons, sets a bad example for young people. This kind of callousness is absolutely unconscionable. What kind of "example" is it for kids to see that a government agency does not act to save people from dying or going blind, when a mere stroke of the pen could prolong thousands of lives? Is it a better "example", then, to be more concerned with how things might appear than with the real suffering of real people? Out of all the cancer patients and all the glaucoma patients that exist in this country, there are, as of this writing, only five certified legal users. Five! Inaction and red tape on the part of the DEA, largely fueled by ignorance and myth, have stymied the efforts to aid all the rest of these thousands of chronically and terminally ill patients, while ignoring even more who suffer from other diseases that marijuana could help treat. No one has ever been known to have died from an overdose of pot. We should not stand for it! How can this continue in the U.S.A.? Whether or not you think marijuana should be allowed to be smoked for personal pleasure -- and that's a whole other story -- we should all stand up for those who need it as medicine. We can help those who need this relief today, and at the same time help to heal the earth's ecosystem. Write or call your State and Federal Representatives and Senators and tell them how Hemp can help the environment. Moreover, demand that marijuana be made legally available for doctors to prescribe. Or, write to NORML, and we will forward your letters to the people who need to see them. And join NORML! (Reprinted from Vol. 3 No. 118 (1991) of The Truth Seeker, Box 2832, San Diego, CA 92112 USA, send $1 for sample issue.) ------------------- Here's a list of national/local contacts in the Hemp Movement for more information or to get involved: N.O.R.M.L. 1636 "B" Street, NW, #3 Washington, DC 20009 (202) 483-5500 Colorado N.O.R.M.L. 137 W. County Line Road #500 Littleton, Co 80215 (303) 470-1100 Hemp information, lawyer referral, lots of other info. Hemp Initiative Project Jon Baraga 1015 S. Gaylord # 181 Denver, Co 80209 (303) 470-1100 ext. 511 They need petitioners for the 1992 Colorado Hemp Initiative. No More Drug War Foundation P.O. Box 18780 Denver, Co 80218 Rocky Mountain Hemp Network Connie Barr-Rowe P.O. Box 150804 Lakewood, CO 80215 (303) 239-6410 or 470-1100 ext. 611 (leave msg) General Hemp info., coalition of people with illnesses requiring hemp for medicine. Lots of legal hemp products such as clothing, nutritional hemp products, etc. Sustainable Futures Auga Das, director (303) 470-1100 ext. 711 Your one-stop shop for hemp-seed oil, hemp-seed cake, instructional hemp videos. Auraria Hemp Club (Fastest Growing Club on Campus.) Student Union Building Room 230-C, Meets every Monday 3:30-5:00 PM Headed up by a knowledgeable herbalist, lots of good info. and videos. Hemp Educational Media Productions Rt. 7, Box 373 Golden, Co 80403 Hemp videos, information, activism. HEMPwear, etc. 1090 S Wadsworth Unit D Lakewood, Co Colorado's first Hemp-only emporium...hemp-clothing, fabric & textiles; Hemp-seed-oil and nutritional products; Hemp bracelets,etc., including Jack Herer's "The Emperor Wears No Clothes"...the book that spawned the 90's HEMP Movement, 188p, extensively footnoted/documented. H.E.M.P. (Help End Marijuana Prohibition) 5632 Van Nuys Blvd.,Suite 210 Van Nuys, CA 91401 (213) 392-1806 Business Alliance for Commerce in Hemp (BACH) P.O. Box 71093 Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093 (213) 288-4152 Information on getting started in the legal hemp business; economic information on hemp. Extensive information on the 50,000 commercial products which can be made from hemp. Hemp Institute P.O. Box 65130 St. Paul, MN 97204 (612) 222-2628 Cannabis Action Network P.O. Box 54528 Lexington, KY 40555 Drug Policy Foundation 4801 Mass Ave. NW #400 Washington DC 20016-2078 (202) 895-1634 American Hemp Council P.O. Box 71093 Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093 (213) 288-4152 T.E.A.C.H.(Therapeutic & Ecological Applications of Cannabis Hemp) 2833 Frankford Ave., Panama City, FL 32405 (904) 763-6812 Medical information, Petition for Herbal & Medical Rights to immediately end federal and state prohibition of herbal and medical use of cannabis sativa(l), also known as hemp. Family Council on Drug Awareness (FCDA) Box 71093 Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093 (213) 288-4512 Many educational pamphlets, including "10 Things You Should Know About Marijuana...", "Marijuana & Christianity", "10 Things Every Parent, Teenager & Teacher Should Know About Marijuana...", "Marijuana & The Bible", etc. @ 30 cents apiece. Freedom Fighters c/o High Times, 211 E. 43rd St New York, New York 10017 ------------------------------------- DIRECTORY OF B.A.C.H. REPRESENTATIVES NATIONAL OFFICE: 213/288-4152 POB 71093, LA CA 90071-0093 BRITISH COLUMBIA Ucluelet: Chris Bennett 604/726-7239 Vancouver:Charles Crossland 604/874-5435 Paul DeFelice 604/229-4338 CALIFORNIA Los Angeles:Chris Conrad 213/288-4152 Fresno:Chuck Corcoran 209/277-1319 San Francisco:Peter King 415/826-0787 San Diego:John Storey 619/274-0034 Santa Cruz:Roland Wilson 408/423-4974 Arcata:Aaron Rose 707/442-8689 Sacramento:Matthew Russell 916/444-0718 GEORGIA Atlanta:Kathy Alterman 404/928-0827 James Bell 404/739-1870 HAWAII Hilo:Roger Christie 808/969-9712 IOWA Des Moines:Carl Olsen 515/243-7351 KENTUCKY Louisville:Randy Davis 502/895-7757 LOUISIANA New Orleans:Gary Kohibach 504/899-8417 MAINE Lincoln:Collin Stuart 207/794-6941 MASSACHUSETTS Pittsfield:David Estrom 413/443-4957 MICHIGAN Kalamazoo:Carl Stelter 616/372-7208 MINNESOTA St.Paul:John Birrenbach 612/222-2628 MISSISSIPPI Jackson:Chris Donovan 601/355-4920 NEW JERSEY Stanton:Sally Miller 908/236-2048 NEW YORK Buffalo:Marilyn Craig 716/873-0255 Staten Island:Ross Elakman 718/273-5649 OKLAHOMA Tulsa:Michael Thompson 918/775-6041 OREGON Portland:Patty Collins 503/289-9298 Steve Orgel 503/236-9231...232-1128 Eugene:Cat Hecate 503/485-3579 SOUTH DAKOTA Alexandria:K.C.Hague 605/996-0086 SOUTH CAROLINA Ft.Mills:Richard Wetzel 803/548-4768 Claude Moore 803/474-2192 TENNESSEE Pulaski:Kenny Breeding 615/565-3898 TEXAS Austin:Tom Thacker 512/825-3317 VIRGINIA Crewe:Sandy Hayer 804/645-8816 WASHINGTON Seattle:Mike Miller 206/481-8830 ------------------------------------------ SOURCES OF LEGAL,NON-SMOKING HEMP PRODUCTS Hemp Textiles,Clothing: (Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH) BACH POB 71093, LA CA 90071-0093 Stoned Wear(tm) Division of Sativa Creations, Inc Order Line: 1-800-544-0577 x 13 (Dealer Inquires Welcome) Joint Venture Hempery 604/737-8539 POB 2006 Main Stn. Vancouver BC Canada V6B 3P8 Hemptek Industries 619/436-7835 POB 27809 Dept HT-4C San Diego, CA 92198-1809 Kashiri Dyeworks 415/647-5046 Berkeley, CA 94704 Hemp Twine: (Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH) Wholesale: Schermerhorn 213/946-8366 (120 twine balls/carton $72) POB 3885 S.F.Springs,CA 90670 Norman Supply Co.(#60 Parcel Twine and Spring Twine) 818/349-3120 18709 Napa St. Northridge,CA 91324 Sterile Hemp Seed: (Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH) Wholesale/Retail: Elmwood Pet Supply 706 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 Bloomington Pets, CA 714/877-5391 Elliot Pets Supply, CA 714/824-5011 Minn-Dak Ltd, MN 701/746-7453 Hemp Fiber: Twinrocker Papermaking Supplies 317/563-3119 POB 413, Brookston, IN 47923 Danforth Int. Trade 203/668-7486 3156 Rt. 88, Point Pleasant, NJ 08792 CNNP&ABP Import Export Corp: Henan Native Produce Branch (Chinese Hemp sacks, yarn, and rope) No.69 Wenhua Rd., Zhengzhou, China. Tel. 33582, Telex:46047 HNTPBCN --------------- HEMP RESOURCES: BACH Cambridge Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc. 617/864-6660 POB 748 Cambridge, MA 02139 H.E.M.P. 213/392-1806...818/377-5886 House of Hemp 503/232-1128 POB 14603/2111 E. Burnside St. Portland, OR 97204 FAX:503/232-0239 Institute for Hemp 612/222-2628 POB 65130, St.Paul,MN 55165 Key Fiber Co. 415/647-5046 NORML 202/483-5500 NORML Colorado 303/470-1100 Nature's Way Hempery 201/291-1619 Sampler $10 San Diego County N.O.R.M.L. Box 171396 San Diego, CA 92197 (619) 571-0088 What The Law Says: Custom Regulations of the United States, Official U S Custom House Guide, 1987. Marijuana Statutory Provisions Sec. 302.58-CR-360. (a) MARIHUANA. The term 'marihuana' means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa(l.), whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any part of such plant: and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin; BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE the mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil or cake or the STERILIZED seed of such plant, which is incapable of germination. [Controlled Substances Act USFDA (1970) Chap. 22, Sec. 802-15.] .END