AMERICA FORCES ALTERNA, THE HEMP HAIR CARE

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Nov. 5, 1998--Alterna Applied
Research Laboratories, maker of professional hemp hair care products,
was forced by DARE America this week to remove hemp shampoo ads from
more than 100 bus benches in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley,
Calif.

Proactive in its approach to educate the nation about hemp's many
environmental, economic and cosmetic benefits, Alterna has waged its
own war focusing on dispelling the myths and misinformation about hemp
via a national hemp awareness campaign using billboards and bus benches.

Alterna holds fast to these two facts: hemp is not marijuana and hemp
is not a drug. The progressive hair care company and hemp
industrialists alike believe that by erroneously defining hemp and
marijuana as the same plant, hemp is unjustly persecuted. Currently,
DARE America does not actively distinguish between industrial THC
(Drug)-free hemp and marijuana and strongly objects to Alterna's use
of the hemp leaf in its advertising.

As education is the key to enlightenment, Alterna champions and
supports DARE'S drug education programs, with one small exception. In
educating our nation's children about the evils of drugs, Alterna
believes it is important to explain to kids the differences between
hemp and marijuana.

With the explosion of hemp manufacturers nationally and
internationally, hemp is a commodity that cannot be ignored. Hemp is
now being incorporated into everyday household items and the positive
benefits of the plant are being publicized. It is crucial that
children do not confuse hemp's benefits with the drug marijuana.

By associating a hemp leaf with the word "HEMP" and the phrase "THC
(Drug) free" in its advertising, Alterna has begun a national
awareness campaign that clearly presents the differences between hemp
and marijuana.

In an effort to educate DARE about hemp and align itself with the
venerable program, Alterna has supplied the organization with hemp
educational packages and proposed an annual donation of proceeds on
all sales of its hair care line to help support DARE'S war on drugs.
Despite the outreach, DARE remains steadfast in its opposition to
Alterna's pro-hemp campaign.

"DARE has applied strong pressure to the City of Los Angeles,
resulting in the removal of the dialog-generating billboards and bus
benches," said Kimberlee Jensen-Mitchell, director of publicity for
Alterna. "Through this act, Alterna has been denied the opportunity to
further create awareness about hemp's vast benefits."

"If hemp and marijuana are left undefined by DARE, how do we properly
explain to our children why 29 countries, now including Canada,
distinguish between the two plants and encourage hemp cultivation?"
asked Mike Brady, vice president of sales and marketing for Alterna.
"It's a disservice to children not to give them all the facts. It
would be as if the common cooking mushroom and the psychedelic
mushroom were not distinguished."

Alterna's bus bench ad design displays a green hemp leaf with "THC
(Drug) free" clearly written below it and a bottle of the hemp shampoo
with the word "HEMP" emblazoned across the ad. The company's phone
number and Web address are also included in order to teach more about
hemp's many benefits, especially how it can help improve the strength,
shine and healthy appearance of hair.

Unconventional in its approach, Alterna consistently sets new
standards in the beauty industry in the fields of advanced formulation
and product performance. The first professional hair care company to
harness the power of nutrient-rich hemp seed oil in January of 1997,
Alterna continually redefines itself as an industry innovator. a
CONTACT: Alterna Applied Research Laboratories, Los Angeles

Checked-by: Patrick Henry