Hemp: A Help Or A Hindrance? Essay -- essays research papers fc

Hemp A Help or a Hindrance?Hemp, also known as ganja sativa, marijuana, grass, and by many an(prenominal) other names,has not been a legal commercial crop in the United States for almost sixty years.As common both centuries ago as cotton is today, hemp is not seen on the market.As many groups fight for hemp to run short legalized as a drug, many hatful arebattling for the plant to become legalized for its industrial and medical consumptions.From Disney Indiana Jones hats to fuel for our automobiles, hemp is ahardworking, environmentally sound renewable resource. People have become sowrapped up in the "drug" aspect of marijuana that many are forgetting its usesas an industrial material.Hemp is an ancient drug, first mentioned in a Chinese manuscript in 2700 BC.Its uses included treating gout, malaria, gas pains, and absent-mindedness.Hemp was an integral part of early Indo-European religious ceremonies forthousands of years. Records from Assyria in 650 BC referred to it as a drugcalled azulla that was used for making rope and cloth, and which was also usedfor experiencing euphoria. Hempen sails brought the Spanish, Dutch, and Britishconquerors to the new world (Charpentier 18). In North America, hemp was set near Jamestown in 1611 for use in making rope. In order to keep aconstant supply of hemp available, a law was passed in Massachusetts in 1639,requiring every household to plant hemp seed. In Maryland, Virginia, andPennsylvania, hemp was even used as a monetary unit. Thomas Jeffersons gulp ofthe Declaration of Independence, released by the Continental Congress on July 4,1776, was written on paper made from hemp (Whole undercoat Review 46). And the49ers washed gold from calcium creeks in Levis made from hemp. In 1937, theUnited States government passed the Marijuana Tax Act which prohibited the useof marijuana as an intoxicant and regulated its use as a medicine.Although there are hundreds of ingredients in marijuana, the main ingredient isa c hemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC affects the brain and thecirculatory system, especially the warmness. This makes the heart beat faster andcauses small blood vessels to expand. This is the most visible in the eyes,where tiny capillaries swell and fill with blood, giving the eyes a bloodshot envision (Ravage 6).Marijuana had its day of glory in the 1960s. Casual use was widespread, mai... ...arent afraid to take the risk.The government may not approve of this, but it is going to happen. legalizehemp to be used for its practical purposes.For many years, there has been debate on whether or not to legalize marijuana.Hemp has been used in many ways. From using it to get high, to making paper formoney. Throughout its history the plant has been very useful. It has proven tobe a valuable asset to our economy and is something that cannot scarce bebrushed away. Although there are many people that abuse it, they are far manymore people that can benefit from its legalization. plant life Cited"Tree Free Paper." Whole Earth Review Fall 1993 46Charpentier, Sean. "Kentuckys Tobacco vs. Hemp." Dollars and SenseMay-June 1991 18"Can hemp help Northwest lick its timber problem?" Wood TechnologyMay-June 1993 8Ravage, Barbara. "Hemp or Health?" Current Health 2 Oct 1994 6Mason, Alan. "Hemp for Victory." Whole Earth Review Fall 1993 48Barry, John Byrne. "Is grass really greener?" Sierra Nov-Dec 1995 22"Marijuana use among teens nearly doubles in two years." the States Today Nov 10, 1995 Money