"De-regulation of Industrial Hemp, Cannabis Sativa in Arizona"
Before the Arizona Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment
Hello, my name is Noel Hebets, Attorney, and I am here with my client, Tim Castleman, the President of Fuel and Fiber Company, an Arizona bio-resource development company, who will be standing by to answer
your questions. I will speak on behalf of Tim, his company, and myself as Arizona residents concerned about our economic and environmental future.
Thank you for allowing us to testify about Industrial Hemp today. Because of the importance of this message, we are providing these comments in written form, and, again, we will be delighted to answer questions or
offer more information if you wish.
The bill at hand seeks to de-regulate Industrial Hemp in Arizona and further provides for a research effort to be conducted by Arizona State University-East, School of Agribusiness.
In relation to this bill, I would like to briefly touch on three topics:
A. The Forgotten History of Hemp in the Western World
B. The Immediate Benefits of Industrial Hemp for Arizona
C. Answering the Common Concerns People Express about Industrial Hemp
A. THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF HEMP IN THE WESTERN WORLD
Most people in America, and here in Arizona, have some foggy realization that hemp and marijuana are either the same or somehow related, and that both are somehow illegal. But few of us
know the difference, if there is one, when it or they became illegal, and what it or they were used for before that happened.
The word "hemp" comes out of Western Europe as a description of a number of varieties of the cannabis plant, particularly the varieties like "industrial hemp" that were bred over time for industrial uses such as fuel, fiber, paper, seed, oil, etc.
The term "marijuana" is of Spanish derivation, and was primarily used to describe varieties of cannabis, like cannabis sativa, that were more commonly bred over
time for medicinal and recreational purposes.
In fact, when all forms of hemp were made illegal in the early part of the last century, it was used in the majority of the prescription drugs then sold in America. That was certainly
no accident. Those who favor the use of what is now called "medical marijuana" recognize these strong medicinal qualities.
But marijuana and the medical or recreational varieties of hemp are not really at issue today, because science readily allows us to distinguish them from industrial hemp by simple tests
for the huge difference in the potency of the plant, i.e. the percentage of THC, the active psychotropic ingredient that is found in the leaves and flowers of the female plant, but not in her seeds or stems.
Industrial hemp, sometimes called "ditch weed" simply does not have enough THC for any practical use as a recreational drug, and anyone who grows industrial hemp will
certainly have to suffer the legal consequences of attempting to grow any stronger strains.
But that too is very unlikely because when hemp was or is bred for its desirable industrial qualities, the percentage of THC is minimal, and I will give other reasons why that is
unlikely.
But I would like to start by addressing those desirable industrial qualities, by looking back briefly at the forgotten history of industrial hemp.
As I explained, the word "hemp" comes out of Western Europe as a description of a number of varieties of the cannabis plant, particularly the varieties like "industrial hemp" that were bred over time for industrial uses such as fuel, fiber, paper, seed, oil, etc.
Its use for such purposes goes back thousands of years, and had an enormous influence on many of the ancient and more modern cultures, and on the history of Europe and America.
In fact, the word "canvas" is a derivative of the Latin "cannabis" and the Dutch "canefas". Because of its great strength as a fiber, and its
resistance to rotting and decay, its use for canvas and rope was far superior to other fibers such as cotton from the cotton plant, or linen from the plant called flax that ubiquitous natural resource of so many
countries in the old world.
Napoleon knew that he could cripple the British Navy that ever-present thorn in his side if for only one year he could simply cut off their supply of hemp from the Ukraine, where
the best hemp was then grown, so they could not maintain their sails and rigging. He forced the Russians to sign a treaty to that effect, and later invaded Russia because they blatantly ignored it.
What was really happening to American commercial ships at the outset of the War of 1812 was that the British would stop them and give them the alternative to run the French blockade and
get the Russian hemp. If they refused, then their ship was commandeered and used for the same purpose anyway. The British didn't need the privateers as warships, they needed them as swift commercial transports that
could bring back this fine Russian hemp.
In the early colonies laws were passed mandating the production of hemp. In the second World War, when the Japanese blocked the supply of Philippine manila, a weaker fiber, the US
Government temporarily legalized industrial hemp, and even put out a short movie called "Hemp for Victory". George Bush's parachute was made of hemp fiber.
Those who wear the fiber and you must all be aware of its increasing use in clothing tell of its remarkable qualities for becoming softer and more comfortable over time, like an old
pair of jeans, while still retaining its exceptional strength.
However, the bulk of the plant stalk is not this strong fiber, but a raw type of cellulose or biomass called "hemp hurds". When the stalks were allowed to simply lay in
the field, especially in a moist climate, and slightly rotted, or "retted", the fiber could easily be separated from the hurds.
It was that process of "retting" the stalks, and separating the fiber from the hurds, that had only just become mechanized in the first half of the last century the moment
when hemp was ready to explode into modern industrial use when all varieties of hemp were made illegal in a sweeping prohibition primarily aimed at marijuana.
I say "primarily" aimed at marijuana because there are certainly those who subscribe to a conspiracy theory that those companies, like Du Pont, who controlled the patents to
make plastics from petroleum, participated in this prohibition of all forms of hemp certainly an act that would now be considered legislative overkill because they wanted to eliminate the competition of hemp
hurds as a cheaper and much cleaner raw material for the production of plastic.
Whether you buy into that conspiracy or not, there is no doubt that hemp hurds offer a renewable and much-cleaner source of a raw material for plastics than fossil fuel. This is a
consideration that we should stress in a time when we are told that we are using about 4% of the world's petroleum supply each year, meaning we have about a 25-years' supply, and that if the people in China only get
the mopeds they dream of, they will consume as much oil as we do in America.
Finally, the hemp seeds themselves must be noted as another phenomenal raw material for both nutrition and for oil. At this moment let me just give one example of each:
Nutrition When hemp was legal, and hempseed was the most common ingredient of mixes of wild bird seed, it was the hemp seeds that the birds ate first, and almost entirely
consumed, before going on to eat the other seeds. In survival training you are taught that you can almost always trust the parts of the wild plants that the birds and mammals around you eat.
Oil I have placed on the table over here a book of matches and two candles. One is a normal candle where the paraffin is made from petroleum and the other from hempseed oil.
Feel free to blow them out and re-light them as you wish. Notice the difference in smell of the smoke that lingers just after you blow them out. The latter type is now readily available in import stores because many
overseas countries are benefiting from the production of hemp, as we also see in the production of the clothing I spoke of earlier.
B. THE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP FOR ARIZONA
Now I would like to offer a few thoughts about why hemp would be good for Arizona. Arizona has about 400,000 acres of irrigated cotton farmland. Of this, about 325,000 are currently
used to grow cotton, an expensive crop requiring tons of pesticides and herbicides to survive; this depletes the land, and runoff of these chemicals is polluting our limited underground water supplies. The markets
for cotton have been dismal at best, even catastrophic for some.
Industrial Hemp requires no pesticide and little or no herbicide. It leaves a field weed-free for the next crop and serves to aerate soil with its deep roots. Hemp is prolific anywhere,
but in Arizona's irrigated farmlands with 340-plus days of sunshine it will set records. Harvests three to five times per year are possible, depending on the desired end use.
Hemp can also be drip-irrigated for substantial water savings over the often-criticized amount of water that is used in cotton production. As our water supplies become more critical,
cotton farmers deserve this environmentally attractive alternative.
Since this is a desert environment, there is no danger of creating a feral population of hemp or "ditch weed" as hemp seed requires constant moisture for successful
germination. This is a unique benefit only the Southwest offers. Our dry climate also offers significant advantages in processing and storage of the raw material produced. Arizona's rural economy will be
revitalized, enhancing development, education and employment opportunities for our rural population. The "Family Farm" life can be restored as this high-value crop offers opportunities for smaller farmers
(seed & seed oil) as well as commercial operations (fiber, fuel). Due to its premium fibers, technology is available to use them to manufacture composite lumber products such as dimension lumber, posts, railroad
cross-ties and many other products that will replace the use of conventional wood from trees.
As a source of biomass for the production of energy, hemp may help answer our most pressing energy needs. This can be accomplished in several ways, including co-firing with coal (which
reduces stack emissions) to produce electricity, conversion to fuel ethanol and other chemicals and production of methane by simple decomposition and collection of the off gas.
C. THE COMMON CONCERNS PEOPLE EXPRESS ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP
Finally, let me address some of the concerns expressed about Industrial Hemp, by responding to the four most common claims by opponents of Industrial Hemp.
1. Claim: "There is no significant market for hemp products."
Reality:
a. Ford, Daimler Chrysler and Mercedes Benz are using hemp fiber in the manufacture of automobile composite parts. This use began in 1996 with the Ford Toreo, and demand
continues to rise for this environmentally sound alternative to glass fibers, which are heavier and have been shown to be harmful to humans and the environment. This fiber is obtained from Canada, Russia,
China or one of the other 30 countries now producing Hemp.
b. Hempseed oil offers a perfect balance of essential fatty acids (EFA's) and is highly recommended by nutritionists unanimously. Dozens of companies are offering this food
product and reporting sales in the millions of dollars. This oil can also be used to make fine-quality soaps, cosmetics, paints, varnishes and other such products.
c. The hempseed "nut" or inner meat is also marketed both as a nutty snack food high in nutritional value and as an ingredient in several brands of "snack
bar." Again think of the wild bird seed.
d. Hemp is used to make archival-grade paper as it stores better than most any other commercially manufactured paper. It can be found in currency, fine books (such as Bibles)
and many other places where its superior strength is desirable. It is also used in combination with recycled paper to give it strength and durability.
e. Hemp textiles are increasingly viewed as an environmentally sound alternative to cotton and dominate the alternative natural fiber market in clothing and fashion wear.
Again, this market segment is reporting sales in the millions. As I explained, the word "canvas" is a derivative of the Latin "cannabis" and the Dutch "canefas".
I refer you to the Appendix for a more complete list; however, these few should sufficiently disprove the assertion that there is no significant market for hemp products.
2. Claim: "It sends the wrong message to youth."
Reality:
a. The message it sends is that Industrial Hemp won't get you high. Simple.
b. Everybody already knows that "ditch weed" won't get you high.
c. Ms. Priss Parmenter, President of the Illinois Drug Education Alliance states that "
many young people start with "ditch weed". She is unclear what it is they
"start" doing, but it is inferred that they smoke the ditch weed and that leads to hard drugs. This is so patently absurd it hardly rates a response; however, it does serve to illustrate the ignorance,
and/or willingness to fabricate stories or even outright lies. There is absolutely no evidence to support this outrageous claim. We suggest that this kind of misinformation is the real "wrong message to
youth."
3. Claim: "Law Enforcement will have trouble telling it apart from the real thing."
Reality:
a. This assumes that law enforcement personnel are untrainable and/or mentally challenged. The difference between the varieties is significant. First off, Industrial Hemp seed
is planted very dense and close together. This promotes long straight stalks. Medicinal and recreational varieties of cannabis sativa require more spacing and are encouraged to branch out as much as possible for maximum production of leaves and flowers. Medicinal and recreational varieties also grow shorter, bushier plants. In any event, they are readily discernible with scientific testing.
b. Industrial Hemp will be grown in a field, like corn or cotton. Hiding a "real" plant amongst the others is counterproductive because the cross-pollination will
destroy its potency, rendering it as useless as the rest of the field (to get high on, that is). The reverse will be true for the Industrial Hemp, so the commercial farmer will not want these "marijuana
weeds" in his field. These fields will also be open to inspection by law enforcement officials, within reason. Industrial Hemp is a very tall plant, and being it is planted densely it will shade out and
stunt any recreational hemp that someone may think can be grown in the field.
c. Orincon Industries, Inc. has developed a "Spy in the Sky" technology which can find marijuana crops from a helicopter and can distinguish marijuana from
Industrial Hemp. The technology was tested successfully by law enforcement in West Virginia.
4. Claim: "It is a waste of taxpayer's money."
Reality:
a. University research on a very similar crop, "Kenaf", shows bright promise for it and a number of other alternative crops.
b. Further research can only add to this knowledge base, expanding opportunities for reduced reliance on petroleum and timber resources.
c. Hemp grows anywhere, unlike kenaf and the other alternative crops being studied. It also offers desirable characteristics not found in any other crop.
d. Hemp offers another choice to farmers, and they are all for this. Just ask one.
e. The US Government spends $50 million each year trying to eradicate feral hemp; this is a waste of taxpayer's money.
f. Research is required by the universities, as we are uncertain what variety will grow best in the central part of the state, what variety at 3,000 foot elevation
(Safford) and at the highest elevations like the Four Corners area. In the latter two locations we may use the finding of other locations or have test plots in these locations.
CONCLUSION
The race is on to develop this important natural resource. Already variety trials are underway in Hawaii, and dozens of states have passed resolutions and/or legislation similar to what
is being presented to you now. Please don't leave Arizona out of this progress. Pass this legislation so we can got on with the research and development effort required to bring this crop to its full potential of
fruition.
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