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Old 08-03-2005, 12:10 PM  
RRRED
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: WA
Posts: 6,754
Here's a quote from a site about how long it takes to grow "industrial hemp"

"Industrial hemp has substantial environmental benefits and could help preserve the earth's natural resources. Hemp is grown with little or no herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides commonly used by other crop farmers, which contaminate our nation's ground water. The crop's deep root system also aerates the soil so it functions as a great rotation crop. Hemp's rapid growth and dense foliage inhibits weed growth. In addition, hemp is a quickly renewable resource and can be harvested a mere 90 days after planting. Paper-producing trees have a slow growth rate, and take up to 70 years to grow. The facts speak for themselves as 10,000 acres of hemp can produce as much paper as 40,000 acres of trees."

And a few interesting facts...

"-Industrial hemp is drug-free
-Under federal law it is illegal to cultivate hemp with out local and Federal permits in the U.S. but it is legal to import it. "Sterile hemp seeds are specifically not excluded from the definition of 'marijuana' and are not controlled substances under federal law." Public Law 91-513, section 102 (15).
-Hemp seed oil is one of the richest sources of essential fatty acids, essential amino acids and other nutrients responsible for healthy skin and hair.
-George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were hemp farmers.
-Henry Ford used hemp to build and fuel early Ford automobiles.
-The first drafts of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were printed on hemp paper.
-Even though the U.S. government encouraged American farmers to grow hemp for WWII and had even accepted it as payment of taxes in Colonial America, it is now prohibited to grow hemp in the United States.
-The first pairs of Levi's jeans were made of the durable hemp fiber.
-The writings of Confucius and Lao Tsu were transcribed on hemp paper.
-For centuries, Bibles and illuminated manuscripts were printed on hemp paper.
-The hemp seed, like the soybean, can be processed into many nutritious food products.
-Hemp seed is a nutritious food source, high in protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and Vitamin A.
-Twenty-nine countries including France (Alterna's hemp seed oil source), Canada, England, Germany and China legally produce industrial hemp.
-All members of the Group of Seven Industrialized Nations permit hemp cultivation except one-the United States.
-The cultivation of industrial hemp could help to preserve the earth's natural resources.
-Hemp is a quickly renewable resource in compariso n to trees (90 days vs. 70 years in some cases.)
-10,000 acres of hemp can prod uce as much paper as 40,000 acres of trees.
-The process of turning hemp into paper requires fewer caustic and toxic chemicals than paper production from trees, thus reducing pollution.
-Hemp requires no herbicides or pesticides for cultivation and naturally re-fertilizes the soil for future crops."
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