Marijuana And Hemp Analysis

Words: 1044
Pages: 5

Imagine there is a plant that grows almost anywhere in the world, has thousands of uses, and good for the environment, believe it or not such a plant exists, Hemp. Also known as, Cannabis Sativa, Marijuana, Grass, Mary Jane, and by many other names, has not been legal in the United States since 1937 when it was unjustly banned, for its relationship to marijuana (“Hemp Facts…”).
It’s true that Hemp and Marijuana are the same species, Cannabis Sativa, but hemp is a distant cousin to marijuana and has a minuscule amount of THC, the main compound that gives marijuana users a high. Therefore, most hemp activists will point out, marijuana is not the same as hemp, just as grapes and wine are not the same thing. Yes, they come from the same plant,
…show more content…
One of the many high points of hemp is that it’s easily grown, unlike almost all other plants, hemp can be grown in all fifty states, and almost everywhere else in the world(“Hemp Facts…”). A 2014 study done by the Agricultural Market Resource Center shows, the United States is the number one importer of hemp products in the world. Therefore, we spend millions, as a whole, to bring it in from other countries who know better than to ban such a valuable crop. That’s why, countries like China, Canada, Australia, and over thirty other countries have been reaping the benefits of hemp and laughing at …show more content…
Keeping that in mind, hemp paper is far superior to paper made from wood. According to The Hemp Industries Association website TheHIA.com, trees are made from only 40 percent cellulose, which is the organic compound used to make paper. As a result, the other 60 percent of the tree must be removed using toxic chemicals, almost any other plant in the world with a strong stalk is better suited for making paper, especially hemp, because it can be up to 80 percent cellulose. Not to mention, hemp paper will last much longer and does not yellow over time, just one acer of hemp can produce as much paper as four to ten acres of trees, over a twenty-year span. Keep in mind, hemp trees only take 4 months to mature, whereas trees can take up to eighty years. A 2014 study by the World Preservation Foundation indicates that Ninety-three percent of the world’s paper comes from trees. Needless to say, when you consider deforestation is the biggest cause of climate change, it would be sinful not to look at other alternatives such as hemp. That is to say, if not for the environment we live in, then for the environment our innocent children will inherit, and future innocent generations that will