MAKING A STRONG CASE FOR HEMP USE

The War On Drugs Is Coming To A Beauty-Supply Store Near You

The word's out that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing
regulations that would ban a wide range of hemp products, including the
Body Shop's Hemp Lip Protector, Hemp Lip Conditioner and, potentially,
other body products that contain hemp-seed oil.

The horror!

In its defense, the Body Shop has launched the "Save Hemp!" campaign at all
its stores (locally, they're at Cherry Creek, Park Meadows and FlatIron
Crossing malls).

Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, says on the company's Web site
(www.thebodyshop.com) that the hemp products were created because of a
desire to develop a new range of products for dry skin.

"Our research came up with hemp-seed oil as the right ingredient," she
says. "Its unusually high concentration of essential fatty acids makes it
an ideal treatment for dry skin. Our customers agreed; they have made hemp
products among the Body Shop's best sellers since their launch in 1998."

Costumers who like a little hemp in their lip balm are encouraged to sign a
petition to the DEA through the Web site or in stores.

So here's what I want to know: What's the big deal? I decided to march off
to the Body Shop and try the hemp products: Would they alter my mind or
just soothe my superdry skin?

First I tried Hemp Lip Protector ($6.50). "Hemp is hope for moisturizing
lip care," the package reads. My lips definitely felt softer, and even
after licking them, I felt no different. Well, I was craving Ruffles and
French onion dip, and a pizza would have really hit the spot, but that's a
daily occurrence.

Next, I lighted the Hemp Candle ($10). The smell was a little strong for
me, but my husband liked it. The problem was that it burned out like an
aging pothead at a Grateful Dead concert -- in 20 minutes it was nothing
but melted wax.

The Hemp Body Butter ($14), on the other hand, had no odor and felt, well,
like buhtah. Just the thing my dry elbows, knees and feet needed.

Then there was the Hemp Dry Oil Spray ($14). On the bottle: "Drench your
skin with hemp-seed oil. A heavy-duty moisturizer in a light scented oil,
to wake up skin and leave a sheer finish."

It woke my skin up, all right, and gave me a three-Advil headache to boot.
The smell was definitely not my thing, but I would have fit right in at a
Phish concert.

Last, I slathered on the Hemp Hair Survival Pak (on sale for $4.50). The
deep conditioner didn't have that body-oil stink. In fact, one co-worker
said it smelled nice.

The verdict after a night of hemp-oil products? Yes, I was hungry. Yes, I
wanted to sink into the sofa and watch MTV. And yes, I laughed a lot at the
contestants on The Weakest Link. But, no, I most definitely did not get high.

Fashionable alternative to the handbag hassle

If you're sick and tired of fumbling for your keys, searching for your
sunglasses or losing your cellphone, Judith LaPoint has a solution for you.

LaPoint, owner of LaPoint's women's clothing store in Belleview Promenade,
has invented the Sling, a variation on a vest that comes with inside
pockets for carrying all your essentials. And -- here's the cool part --
it's superchic.

"I was traveling a lot, and after continually having to dump out my handbag
to find things like my glasses or my phone, I decided there had to be
another way to keep everything close to me and accessible," LaPoint says.
"I knew I wanted to design something that could be concealed under a jacket
because I'm always in a suit for business, but I wanted it to have a
fashionable edge as well."

The Sling, available in a variety of colors and prints, is made of
ultra-suede, making it machine-washable. The compartments can hold
everything from airline tickets and passports to cellphones and cosmetics.

"It is really like replacing a handbag," LaPoint says. "I wish I had
thought of this when my children were small because it keeps your hands free."

LaPoint says the Sling has taken on several personalities.

"It can have an equestrian feel to it if you pair it with riding boots and
a sweater," she says. "But it also has a gangster/menswear feel when you
wear it with a pinstriped suit. And then if you pair it with leather jeans
and boots, it gives it a really edgy look. It's fun because it appeals to
clients from college students on up."

A big appeal of the Sling is its travel-friendliness.

"It keeps your money and your passport close to you," LaPoint says. "It
really has a range of being practical and fashionable."

Costumers are snapping the Sling up as fast as LaPoint can get them ordered
- -- one woman recently bought nine Slings at once. The response has
persuaded LaPoint to take the Sling international, and a men's version is
in the works.

The Sling is priced at $175, with a portion of the proceeds going to the
Denver Multiple Sclerosis Center.