Friday, February 13, 2009

Hemp pancakes, anyone?

Sen. Joey Pendleton has filed a bill to make growing hemp legal in Kentucky.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Elect Gatewood Galbraith for Govenor!

Anonymous said...

David,

Surely you can do better than this at marginalizing such an important issue in Kentucky.

If you'd have any serious interest in the topic of industrial hemp I'd be glad to help you with it. Just for starters you may want to check out FlexForm Technologies in Northern Indiana. http://www.flexformtech.com/

They must import their hemp fiber.

The bio-fuels that can be produced from the hemp seed is superior to corn ethanol and the seed cake by-product adds to the food chain unlike making fuel from corn. Not to mention it wouldn't need to be subsidized.

There are plenty of more reasons to be serious about the issue especially from an environmental prospective.

So while you're at it, why not give people the benefit of truth about industrial hemp instead of feeding the "chuckle factor" as I call it. How could one reasonably draw a connection to economic development and job creation that industrial hemp could bring to Kentucky with a headline of "Hemp pancakes, anyone?"

Industrial hemp in Kentucky is about far more than Rope, Dope and Pancakes! At least if one wants to be serious about the issue.

Respectfully,
John

Hempy said...

I eat hemp pancakes frequently. Actually, it's best to buy hemp flour and mix it with another pancake flour. I usually mix it with buckwheat. Then I add chopped walnuts and blueberries. I sweeten it with maple syrup.

All things hemp need to be legalized. American universities should be able to grow, research, test and market the hemp products they make.

For example, the University of Louisville ought to be able to grow hemp for its cannabinoids, as at least a couple are effective in treating cancer. There're some foreign university studies supporting this, but such findings need to be replicated.

This includes the cannabinoids THC and CBD. THC is the cannabinoid most commonly associated with marijuana. How best to administer and in what amounts needs further research. As in all things nature, too much is not necessarily better.

What optimal amount of THC the body could best function on has not yet been determined. Individuals who experiment with it usually find their optimum level.

Others misuse THC and treat it like alcohol, thinking that the more consumed the more effect you get. It doesn't work that way with THC.

The University of Kentucky should be allowed to grow hemp, research and test it for the best variety of products they want to make from it, be it charcoal to replace coal, or a high volume seed plant to produce biofuels.

Nothing in the hemp plant is wasted. Even the left-over "hurds" can be made into better animal bedding than straw.

Koerper Family Blog said...

Now David, I think you might be missing the big picture here. The "war of drugs" like most wars has helped to erode freedoms in this country. It has been a complete failure and has helped to grow the power of the government in our lives. This "war," like Prohibition, has increased crime and overcrowded prisons. At cato.org there is plenty of information to convince you that there is a better way.

David Adams said...

John and Philip,

I can't figure out why either one of you think I am against this idea.

Anonymous said...

That's great if you're supporting the industrial hemp issue. But far too often people do not take the issue seriously.

Your "light hearted" approach to the issue with the thought of "Hemp Pancakes" can easily be mistaken for just another thoughtless jab at such an important agricultural crop for Kentucky farmers and an important supply of food, fiber and energy.

David, now how about showing your support for industrial hemp based on the merits of the crop and the potential this crop holds for the future of Kentucky.

I call it the 3 E's:
Energy
Economic Development
Environment

Farmers should have the ability to grow this crop and I suspect many may consider putting land back into production that currently sits idle.

Honestly, as I said before, it's not about rope, dope or pancakes. It's about jobs, fuel and economic development. Particularly in our rural communities.

John

Hempy said...

John, I support the legalization of all things hemp.

Until hempsters recognize that the government's tactic is equating hemp with marijuana. Consequently, any effort at hemp legalization will be unsuccessful.

The marijuana hempsters are having more success with their agenda than are industrial hempsters.

Unfortunately, industrial hempsters parrot the government line, apparently pretending that cannabinoids don't exist in industrial hemp.

Cannabinoids are in all things hemp.

Anonymous said...

When the bill comes up for consideration, I propose it be named for John Winston Coleman, historian and licensed hemp grower.

Unknown said...

Hemp is the perfect replacement crop for Tobacco, and it's harmless. Making Hemp illegal is like making bunny rabbits and rainbows illegal. It doesn't make any sense. Plus, it's a Billion dollar industry. How many Billion ideas does a person have to come up before they are elected Governor?

Anonymous said...

HEMP FACTORY HILL

When I was just a boy and grew up in Frankfort, KY. . . . I many times would pass by HEMP FACTORY HILL.

It was a place on the Kentucky River where HEMP was used to make some very strong rope, during WW2.

It was abandoned by the time I was old enough to know anything about the HEMP FACTOR.

Everyday, workers turned out HEMP ROPE and it was shipped to the Military.

My father a furniture maker from frame to covers and cushions, used hemp rope to tie off springs, to keep them from collapsing.

I do not recall an ZOMBIES running around FRANKFORT at time when one could go and visit HEMP FACTORY HILL. But I was young and had no knowledge of the controversy, which at that time was not a controversy.

All this regulation is just plain old prejudice and bullshit. And the most significant is the lack of the opportunity to use marijuana as an herbal medicine, when all reports show it is beneficial, especially to recovering cancer patients.

Hemp is a perfect replacement for those that used to grow tobacco.
And, I do see . . . Tobacco has not been considered an illegal drug.

Hempy said...

Jim:

Good post. You've hit the nail on the head. As for smoking hemp as it was called then, there's very little written information.

Our founders, especially George Washington noticed a difference in the use of hemp to smoke if it was harvested before the pollen came. Hemp pollen diminishes the potency of THC. Hence, "marijuana" is harvested before the coming of the pollen, which is about two weeks later.

Nor is much known about slaves smoking hemp. There's very little written history by the slaves during the period of slavery.

It's government that equates hemp with marijuana, and its some $50 billion a year annual budget to oppose the legalization of anything hemp.