HEMP, MARIJUANA, ANTIDRUG CAMPAIGNS AND COMMON SENSE

We were shocked by reports that the Indonesian National Institute for
Drug Abuse (Inida) would study the possibility of legalizing the use
of marijuana (The Jakarta Post, June 2, 2007). Other papers quoted
Inida as proposing that dried marijuana be legalized.

In some literature (West, 1998, and Rothenberg, 2000), hemp and
marijuana are not differentiated. That's why many people can not be
convinced that hemp actually greatly benefits our environment and
human life.

Some differences between marijuana and hemp are as
follow:

1. Hemp is not marijuana, and vice versa.

2. Both share the same genus and, according to most taxonomists, the
same species, namely Cannabis sativa L.

3. More importantly, both produce the same organic compounds known as
cannabinoids, which are unique to the genus Cannabis.

4. Marijuana contains in their female flowers typically 2-5 percent
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but sometimes the THC level can reach as
high as 15-20 percent.

5. Industrial hemp varieties must be bred to maintain a THC content
of less than 0.3 percent.

6. Industrial hemp contains more Cannabidiol (CBD) than THC, i.e. has
a greater CBD/THC-ratio, while marijuana contains often significantly
more THC than CBD. (THC is the psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis,
while CBD is an anti-psychoactive ingredient.)

7. Both the low THC content and the high CBD/THC ratio prevents
industrial hemp from producing psychoactive effects when smoked or
eaten.

8. Smoking hemp, high in CBD and very low in THC, actually has the
effect of preventing a marijuana "high". Even when the amount of THC
in a sample is as high as 2 percent, the psychological high is
blocked by as low as 2 percent CBD.

9. Cannabis containing below 1 percent of THC and a CBD/THC ratio
greater than one is therefore not capable of inducing a psychoactive
effect. Hemp, it turns out, is not marijuana. It can even be called
"anti-marijuana".

10. Maximizing the yields of hemp requires a high plant density.
Thus, seeds are planted close together in long thin rows and the
stalks grow very close together.

11. On the other hand, marijuana plants are grown for the buds or
flowering tops, which means they are best spaced several feet apart
to maximize access to sunlight and thus flower and resin production.

The next question is whether dried marijuana can be classified as
hemp? In some international symposiums this question has been left
unanswered.

We have exploited our natural resources for home and industry needs.
The use of hemp to produce the same products means we can stop
destroying our environment and maintain our high standard of living.

Hemp is a hearty, drought resistant, soil building plant that is
excellent in crop rotation. Hemp does not need heavy fertilization or
pesticides. In fact, an organic pesticide is even made from hemp. It
plays an important role in erosion control, reforestation, weed
eradication, wildlife habitat and cleaning the air.

Paper made of hemp lasts much longer than that made of trees, without
cracking, yellowing or otherwise deteriorating: it's the "archivist's
perfect paper". Processing hemp for paper requires far less chemical
acid than does wood. One hectare of hemp produces as much pulp as 4.1
hectares of forest land. This is a crucial issue for Indonesian
environmentalists, who have been calling for an end to logging activities.

Pulp made from trees must be bleached through an environmentally
destructive process. Hemp pulp can be bleached with relatively
harmless hydrogen peroxide.

Hemp contains a high proportion of protein. Soybeans contain more
protein, but these are complex proteins that many people find hard to
digest. The proteins in hemp are easily digested. Hemp protein
consists of two globular proteins, albumin (33 percent) and edestine
(67 percent), with a structure very similar to proteins manufactured
in our blood and is thus readily digestible.

Estimated retail sales for hemp food and body care products in the
U.S. in the early 1990s reached US$1 million and in 2001 rose to $40
million

Half a hectares of hemp can produce 1,000 gallons of methanol. In
fact, Henry Ford's first car ran on hemp-methanol. Alternatives to
coal, fuel oil, acetone, ethyl, tar pitch and creosote can be derived
from hemp.

As regards depletion of the ozone layer -- hemp actually withstands
ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It absorbs UV light. Clothes made from
hemp can absorb up to 95 percent of UV radiation.

We all agree that the legalization of dried marijuana is still
dangerous for our young generation. Not only hemp, everything in the
world always has two sides: positive and negative. We should explore
the positive one and use it and we should study the negative one and
remove it. We should not lose common sense.

Since in Indonesia, especially in Aceh, dried marijuana can be grown
easily, we should have alternative solutions. Knowing that more than
30 industrialized nations (including Canada, England, France and
Germany) permit hemp to be grown, we should have a progressive and
good strategy related to hemp.

However, in Indonesia, especially Aceh, the issue of industrial hemp
remains very sensitive. Getting out information on this issue must be
conducted carefully.

We need to examine the positive and negative sides of hemp. This
process is only possible if:

1. Indonesian law and/or Qanun in Aceh should state that for research
purposes hemp is permitted to be grown.

2. Universities, especially Syah Kuala University, should be given
the opportunity to study the great benefits of hemp.

3. As has been recommended by an international symposium organized by
Inida, we expect the Aceh people to support the Center for Hemp Research.

The writer is head of the Research Institute at Syah Kuala
University, Banda Aceh.