What if there was a plant that held the potential of reducing global warming and provide

thousands of everyday products better than the ones we currently have? Industrial hemp is
exactly the answer. As the majority of us are aware, our Earth continues to experience severe
environmental issues due to our exploitation of resources. We are in desperate need of a solution
to help reduce this ecological footprint. Hemp holds the potential of replacing almost every
unrenewable resource in a more efficient and cleaner way. However, this plant continues to be
illegal for big industries selfish reasons and ignorance from the general public. We can no
longer have people be misinformed about what hemp could provide to our country which is why
industrial hemp should be legalized in the United States.
Industrial hemp can be grown virtually anywhere, does not require any pesticides and is
capable of producing over 25,000 products that can help our country economically, medically
and most importantly, environmentally. According to ThinkGlobalGreen, humans emit 12 billion
tons of carbon dioxide each
year which is rapidly altering
the globes temperature
higher than any time in the
last 650,000 years. However,
growing hemp and using it to
replace current wooden
products would eliminate
deforestation by 50% or
more. Hemp would also
contribute cleaning up
pollution by providing 40%
more oxygen.
The National Building
Company also shows us how
hemp concrete can construct
houses that are mold, insect,
fire and earthquake resistant
plus highly energy-efficient.
Imagine living in a cozy
home, free of rodents and not
having to worry about your
electricity bill because theres
no need to have your A/C or
heater on all day. This new
form of construction would
eliminate the amount of
greenhouse gases we release
into the atmosphere by
cutting the use of coal and petroleum. The benefits dont end there. Hemp can also remove
radioactive waste from the soil, suppress unwanted weeds and makes damaged land arable again
to grow more crops.
There are two ways we can help legalize hemp in the state of Texas. The first and most
important is to inform people on what hemp truly is since it has gained bad reputation because of
its close association with marijuana. Especially living in this republican state where the majority
are opposed to the legalization of marijuana, hemp is generally ignored.
You can help inform people of your community by holding public speeches, writing articles, and
telling your friends and family the facts of industrial hemp and why it is crucial for us to make it
legal under the ecological state we find ourselves in. Make it clear to them that hemp does not
contain the psychoactive compound that gets you high like marijuana so that they understand that
hemp is biologically distinct.

It is difficult to change public opinion but remind them that we dont need to stop using cars or
drastically change our ways of living, hemp simply offers an upgrade to the current products we
use today. For example, ask them why continue wasting our current fossil fuels that are greatly
altering the climate when we can produce cleaner and endless amount of biofuel from the hemp
crop that does not pollute the planet? Once people understand the benefits I have stated above,
(plus thousands of others I did not) it will become a no-brainer to advocate its legalization.
The last step is signing and creating petitions using the words Industrial Hemp and not
Cannabis so people can differentiate it from marijuana. Remember, eliminating negative public
opinion creates a greater chance to change public policy. After spreading awareness, all thats
left is letting the legislature know that the state favors its legalization.
Visiting the website MoveOn.org will help you gather signatures which will then be delivered to
the U.S House of Representatives, the Senate and president Barack Obama to sign into law.
These petitions could help bring the Farm Bill to our state, which allows farmers to cultivate
industrial hemp. Living in a democracy, it is possible for us as individuals to have our voice be
heard.
In February 2014, the Farm Bill was signed in fifteen different states which shows us that its
not impossible. Texas can also achieve this by informing and creating a high demand for hemp.
All it takes is spreading awareness and signatures to mass-produce this miracle crop.
Our Earth cannot sustain much longer, help industrial hemp restore its place in the agricultural
economy and watch this country strive in all aspects imaginable!

References

Martino, J., (2012). How hemp became illegal: The marijuana link. Consciousness Evolution.
Hemp Industries Association. (2014). Facts. Retrieved from http://www.thehia.org/facts.html
Drug War Facts. (2014). Hemp. Retrieved from
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Hemp#sthash.hzNv7QPw.dpbs
Hemp. (2014). Hemp-education. Retrieved from http://www.hemp.com/hemp-education/uses-ofhemp/hemp-fuel/
Wolford, B., (2013). Hemp- one of the most healthy recyclable substances around. Waking Times
Natural Environment. (2008). Environmental benefits of hemp. Retrieved from
http://www.natural-environment.com/blog/2008/01/31/environmental-benefits-of-hemp/
Think Global Green. (1014). Carbon dioxide. Retrieved from
http://www.thinkglobalgreen.org/carbondioxide.html
Move On. (2014). Sign. Retrieved from http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/legalize-hemp-farming