Uses of Industrial Hemp

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Uses of Industrial Hemp Hemp is a tall, coarse plant that is native to Asia but naturalized or cultivated in many parts of the world and is the source of a valuable fiber as well as drugs (dictionary). The recorded origins of hemp date as far back as 2800 BC. Originally cultivated for fiber in Central Asia it made its way to Europe and eventually America in the 1500s. Throughout time, different societies have found a variety of uses for it. Perhaps one of the most common uses of its fiber is for the production of cordage. Due to its strength and durability it is an ideal source for making twine, yarn, rope, cable, and string. Other uses of the oil obtained from hempseed include paint, varnish, soaps, and edible oil (encyclopedia brittannica). In the American colonies, hemp became an important crop as the demand for its canvas products increased. British ships travelling from Europe to America depended on the miles of hemp line and tons of hemp canvas sails. As technology advanced, the need for canvas sails decreased and hemp production faded. In more recent times, worldwide hemp production has seen a sharp decrease from 300,000 metric tons in the early 1960s to 55, 600 metric tons in 1996. One of the major reasons for the decrease in hemp production are the legal restrictions placed in the growing of hemp in countries like the United States. Production languished until the 1950s, when once again hemp production was outlawed. Currently, it is illegal to produce any variety, In the US except under certain permitted scientific conditions (hemp987pdf). In more recent times, hemp produced goods have been geared towards paper and fabric products, biomass fuels, and alternative plastic related goods. The industrial use of hemp is not limited to these but certainly has shown great promise in developing environmentally safe alternative products. Hemp is best

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