HEMP MAKES WONDERFUL FIBER

Hemp the non-psychoactive cousin of marijuana makes wonderful fiber and has
been cultivated for its fiber for at least 5,000 years.

It is well known for its use in rope and in canvas ( the word itself is
derived from cannabis) sails for the sailing ships that dominated the seas
for many thousands of years. Hemp was so precious in America that early
Colonists were required to grow it for its cordage and cloth uses. Hemp was
required to maintain the lifeline between the early colonies and Britain.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were known to have grown hemp. As
far as can be definitely determined they were only interested in fiber.

Modern uses for the fiber still include hemp twine for use in fine quality
shoes and boots. New uses being researched include fiberboard for walls and
laminated structural beams for building construction. The very long hemp
fibers make these products especially strong compared to their wood
counterparts.

Surprisingly hemp may find its way into your automobile body. In fact there
is a chance it may already be in the car you drive. The use of hemp as a
replacement for fiberglass is just beginning. Hemp composites are easier to
recycle than fiberglass composites and due to their long fibers they may be
stronger. Using hemp fibers can reduce the weight of car by as much as 40
percent and reduce the energy requirements for car manufacture as well.
Hemp is sixty-five cents a pound cheaper than fiberglass and a new crop can
be grown every year.

Two percent of automobile fiberglass matts, seat backs and other plastic
composites had organic fiber reinforcement last year . Hemp is the dominant
organic fiber in this field.

The number one problem in this field is that the DEA unlike its Canadian
counterparts cannot tell the difference between hemp and marijuana. In
America you need DEA approval, a fenced garden with razor wire to top the
fences and 24 hour monitoring. In Canada all you need is a license.
Admittedly the Canadians had a little problem with pot poachers the first
year they grew a hemp crop. But soon enough the word got out that all you
got from smoking hemp was a headache and the poaching all but ceased.

The Illinois legislature has twice passed bills for the study of hemp in
Illinois in the hopes of getting a bill that the DEA would approve of and
the Governor would sign. So far the Governor has not acted favorably on the
latest hemp bill HB 3377. ( HB stands for House Bill not Hemp Bill ) The
vote in the House was 72 to 43 in favor.

The Governors need a little nudging on the hemp issue. He can be reached
at: 217-782-0244 or governor@state.il.us or you can get the full street
address and FAX number etc. at: http://sites.netscape.net.ejpagel/freeej.