The hemp revival: why marijuana's cousin could soon be big business

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

The hemp revival: why marijuana's cousin could soon be big business

The useful crop has seen renewed interest alongside legalized weed – and there are signs that US officials are warming to it

Alex Halperin
Mon 11 Jun 2018 10.00 BST Last modified on Mon 11 Jun 2018 10.02 BST

Long associated with the hoariest hippie stereotypes, hemp is now chic.

The crop – which is a cannabis plant very similar to marijuana, but lacking its best-known property: getting you high – is a versatile raw material, and like its more notorious relative, it could once again become very lucrative.

-snip-

But the climate is changing. In recent weeks, the US Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, a conservative Republican who opposes marijuana legalization, has called for hemp to be legalized, a move which would benefit farmers, though McConnell still opposes marijuana legalization.

And it’s not just the farmers in McConnell’s home state of Kentucky who would be pleased to see a resurgence of the crop. Early this month for hemp history week, the US Senate unanimously passed a non-binding resolution acknowledging hemp’s economic value and “historical relevance”.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/11/the-hemp-revival-why-marijuanas-cousin-could-soon-be-big-business

[ghostsinthemachine]

1. Grow hemp all you want, BUT

There ain't no place tp process it., on a large scale. Millions and millions of dollars to build a plant. (Akin to paper, chip board etc). The plants that used to exist that could be converted are all moved to China.

[Mopar151]

4. Many still around

There is an OSB plant, and 2 underused paper mills, @ 03743 (Claremont NH)

[ghostsinthemachine]

6. Still a LOT of retooling

Ipdating etc. It is what the now former hemp producers in Oregon are saying.

[Mopar151]

8. Yes, it's not an instant slam dunk.

The pulping or chipping process is going to be considerably different, but that difference may be in chemistry as much as in cutters and screens. And, like everything else, just because it CAN be done, does'nt mean it SHOULD be done.

[safeinOhio]

2. Release the Hydrogen & Hemp Economies now!

* https://www.facebook.com/notes/nadine-lumley/release-the-hydrogen-hemp-economies-now/741441652552427

[DetlefK]

3. You can make bread out of hemp-seeds.

I had these at medieval festivals. It has a very dominant taste and it takes a few bites to get used to it. It goes best with fried dishes like roasted meat or roasted mushrooms.

[mbusby]

5. You can extract CBD from hemp...

https://pluscbdoil.com/

[CanSocDem]

7. The Most Powerful Plant on Earth.

[msongs]

9. cotton lobby apologists will hate this. hemp needs less water, has fewer bug enemies nt