DON'T CONFUSE HEMP WITH MARIJUANA

Dear Editor,

I have been reading with interest the trouble that Randy Caine is
having with his new store "Hempyz" in Langley City.

Langley City officials seem to have something personal against the
man, since they are only requesting that he stop selling items made
from hemp, and not requesting any of the other stores in Langley City
that are selling hemp products to remove similar items.

Now, I must say, I do not smoke anything of any kind, and do not
approve of legalizing marijuana, except for medical use. But I am in
favour of using the hemp plant for all its benefits as I detail below.

Hemp is often confused with the marijuana plant. Both come from the
Cannabis plant family, but from very different varieties. The THC
content of the drug hemp plant is around 3-20 per cent.

However, the THC content of the fibre-bearing plant is lower than 0.03
per cent, which means it is impossible to extract marijuana. In
essence, the fibre plant has no drug value.

Since the 1990s, low-narcotic hemp has been grown in Europe under the
European Community law.

Here are some of the benefits of hemp:

. Hemp grows well without herbicides and pesticides while cotton
consumes almost half of the pesticides sprayed in the entire world

. Hemp fibres are one of the longest natural soft fibres and are more
absorbent, mildew resistant and insulative than cotton

. Hemp is more effective at blocking the sun's harmful
rays

. Like cotton, hemp can be made into a variety of fabrics, including
high quality linen

. Hemp has a deep root system that helps soil erosion, removes toxins
and aerates the soil to the benefit of future crops

. Hemp can be used as a replacement for wood products in making paper
and fibre board. Hemp can be pulped using fewer chemicals. Hemp fibres
have natural creamy colour eliminating the need for using chlorine
bleach

. Hemp paper is of the highest quality, resists decomposition and does
not yellow as it ages and for these reasons hemp paper is used in
Europe for Bibles.

. The replacement of wood fibre by hemp based products can save
forests for wildlife habitat, watersheds, recreational areas, increase
oxygen production and carbon removal which reduces global warming

. A vast array of products can be made from hemp seeds.

. Hemp seeds have excellent nutritional value second only to soybeans
as a source of complete vegetable protein

. Hemp seeds contain all essential amino acids in the correct
proportions required by humans

. Hemp seed oil is the richest source of polyunsaturated fatty acids
(the "good fat") and can replace or be used with olive, walnut and
safflower oils for cooking

. Hemps seed hulls are a great source of fibre and are made into
protein bars, protein powder, granolas, sauces and dips.

. Refined Hemp seed oil has antimicrobial properties making it useful
for cosmetics and body care products such as shampoos, conditioners,
lip balms, lotion, massage oils, salves, soaps and detergents.

Langley City officials should educate themselves a little bit
regarding the difference between hemp and marijuana, and amend the
bylaws. As long as he is not selling drug paraphernalia and drugs out
of his shop, it is all good.

And if they are not willing to do that, they should be scouring all
the other shops and removing all the other "offending" items from
public view, so as not to seem prejudiced against this one shop-owner.

In closing, I thank Langley City, in part, for making a fuss so the
newspapers could bring this new store to our attention.

I, for one, will be shopping there every time I come into Langley City
to visit some of my other favourite shops.

Susan Shewan

Aldergrove