An alternative stimulus package for our nation
From an ancient medicinal and agricultural plant to a Schedule 1 dangerous narcotic, from the sails, ropes and clothing of Christopher Columbus along with the clothing, cordage and canvas sails of our navy (up until World War II) to a plant that elicits reefer madness hysteria, cannabis has had an interesting journey.
Since the discovery of our land, cannabis and its nonmedicinal variety hemp have been used for the benefit of all. In the 19th century, cannabis was a vital part of American medicine. Hemp was an important textile used by the early colonists. Colonial farmers were required by law to grow hemp and could even use hemp to pay their taxes. Hemp and cannabis strengthened colonial resolve and American economics, which aided in declaring our independence from England. The original drafts of the Deceleration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution were all drafted on hemp paper. Our nation’s founders were hemp farmers and called it “one of the most beneficial agricultural plants.
So what happened?
There were three main factors that led to the decline and the prohibition of cannabis: (1) The invention of the cotton gin made cotton a cheaper product than hemp; (2) The invention of the hypodermic syringe for injections (cannabis, being oil based, could not be injected, and instead morphine, an opiate derivative, became the default drug of choice. At the time physicians did not know that opium was addictive); (3) The onset of the “reefer madness” scare set in motion by William Randolph Heart in his newspaper publications. Hearst not only owned the newspapers, he owned forestland in the southwest that he intended to use for making wood-pulp paper, which requires toxic petrochemical processing, including bleaching. Mr. Hearst’s longtime friend, Mr. Dupont, supplied the chemicals. Neither man wanted to compete against cheaper hemp products; hence, the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced in 1937. It was a bill prepared in secret, and the term “marijuana” was coined in an attempt to keep farmers and physicians unaware of the implications of the act. When this deception was brought to light, the American Medical Association (AMA) at the hearings asked Congress to vote against the bill. The person reporting to Congress lied and stated that the AMA supported the bill and it was passed under false pretenses in 97 seconds. At the time, cannabis was being used to treat over 100 ailments and industrial hemp was being used in over 100,000 products in the United States.
Cannabis was called upon once again to help defend our nation during World War II with the famous “Victory for Hemp” campaign. The government called upon farmers to grow hemp for fiber and oil during the war. After the war, competition from synthetic fibers, prohibition and the increasing anti-drug sentiment resulted in fewer and fewer acres of hemp being planted.
Cannabis as an alternative stimulus
With the nation’s focus on the petrochemical pollution of the Gulf Coast and the current threat to our High Plains Aquifer from the Canadian tar sands transcontinental pipeline, ending cannabis prohibition could provide our nation a cleaner biofuel, reducing our dependence on petrochemicals. Most concerned citizens recognize the ill effects of petrochemical dependence and understand the need for alternative fuel. Coal, oil and natural gas should have long ago been replaced with biomass energies such as cornstalks and cannabis. Why? Because biomass energy can be converted to methane, methanol or gasoline at a fraction of the current cost of oil, coal or nuclear energy, especially when environmental cost is factored in. The mandated use of biomass would help end acid rain and sulfur-based smog and help reverse the greenhouse effect of our planet—right now. This can be accomplished if our farmers are allowed to grow hemp for biomass as well as other industrial uses. Unlike fossil fuel, biomass comes from living (not extinct) plants that continue to remove carbon dioxide pollution from our atmosphere through photosynthesis as they grow.
Hemp’s advantages are many. It thrives without herbicides; it reinvigorates the soil; it requires less water and toxic chemicals than cotton; it matures in three to four months and it can yield four times as much paper per acre as trees. Hemp can be used to create building materials that are twice as strong as wood and concrete, textile fiber that is stronger than cotton, better oil and paint than petroleum, clean-burning diesel fuel and biodegradable plastics. Additionally, it can produce more digestible protein per acre than any other food source. It is a sustainable, drought-resistant crop for the Great Plains. Industrial hemp grows rapidly, creating a canopy that hinders weeds. It can be grown across much of the United States, particularly here in the Plains. Industrial hemp depletes the soil much less than cotton and demands fewer to no pesticides/herbicides, which makes it much greener for our environment. Additionally, it is an excellent “green manure” soil-building plant that would provide our farmers with a much-needed rotational crop.
Ending cannabis prohibition would allow our farmers to compete on an equal basis with many of our nation’s allies (England, Canada, Australia, France) who are not prohibited from growing, exporting and funding agricultural and medicinal research. Americans consume a large portion of hemp products, none of which are we allowed to grow or produce. Ending prohibition would stimulate our local and national economy, provide our farmers with a sustainable and profitable crop and provide local entrepreneurs opportunities to explore value-added products, thus creating new jobs and new industries for a struggling economy. This can all be accomplished without any bailout money. All Congress has to do, in 97 seconds, is end cannabis prohibition.
Let our farmers grow, our doctors prescribe, our universities research, and our citizens enjoy the benefits of cannabis without the fear of criminal prosecution and persecution. Let our government and municipalities collect the billions of tax revenue that can be made by ending this misguided prohibition.
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