from Up Front news and opinion from independent mind – "The Humanist" magazine Sept/Oct 2004
"It was county music legend Willie Nelson who first suggested to me that hemp is “not just for breakfast anymore”. And Willie is a fellow who knows quite a bit about the plant called cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, or whatever you choose to call it.
But Willie’s point wasn’t to tout the smokable cannabis but to push a strain of the plant that farmers worldwide have been raising for 6,000 years to produce a cornucopia of products, including beautiful fabrics, fine paper, inexpensive fuel, safe pain-relievers, and plastic substitutes.
Did you know that the Declaration of Independence was drafted on paper made of 100 percent, pure dee hemp, that “Old Ironsides” was powered by hemp-cloth sails, and that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson cultivated the stuff? Jefferson even wrote that “hemp is of first necessity… to the wealth and protection of the country.” And he wasn’t just blowing smoke.
Even though hemp had been demonized and outlawed in the United States in 1937 as part of a nutty “Reefer Madness” campaign, it got a reprieve during World War II when the military suddenly needed huge amounts of rope and other hemp products. A “Hemp for Victory” drive was launched and 400,000 acres were rushed into production. With the war’s end, however, the heroic crop went back on the no-no list, where it remains today.
This isn’t about “Puff the Magic Dragon;” it’s about an easy-to-grow commercial crop that can produce a natural high for our economy. As for its hallucinogenic properties, industrial hemp is to marijuana what near beer is to beer—it has practically zero tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the elemental oomph in marijuana that makes you get high. You could smoke a pure hemp rope all day long and you wouldn’t get high; you’d get sick. As an agricultural economist put it: “You’d croak from smoke before you’d get high on hemp”.
Yet our ever-alert Drug Enforcement Administration classifies hemp as a “Schedule One Substance” – right up there with heroin, cocaine, and other life wreckers. Attempt to grow it, and John Ashcroft’s drug troopers will storm your property, bulldoze your crop, and haul you off to the federal slammer. If he thinks you were growing hemp for ‘terrorist purposes’, he’ll send you to Guantanamo Bay. He’s nuts, but that’s another story.
Suppose there was a political issue that could pull together people from all spheres--liberals and Libertarians; environmentalists and small businesses; the American Farm Bureau Federation and International Paper Company; Democrats, Republicans, Greens, New Party members, and Libertarians; Noneoftheabovers and Whatnots? Wouldn't that we worth pursuing? The legalization of hemp for America is one such common-sense, grassroots issue.
Family farmers could benefit because hemp can be huge cash crop: it will grow anywhere in United States; indeed, the damned stuff literally is a weed, growing wild in many areas. It has a short growing season, so it can be planted after other crops are harvested, giving farmers two incomes on the same plot of land. Plus, it's profitable. Imagine the frustration of farmers in North Dakota, who are losing money on the grain they raise, looking across the invisible border separating them from their neighbours in Manitoba, Canada, where farmers are enjoying a $250-an-acre profit on their hemp crop.
The environment would win, too. Commercial farming today is soaked in chemicals, causing massive contamination of our soil, water, wildlife, and farm families. Contrast hemp: it's natural, requires very little water or fertilizers to produce an abundant yield, and is naturally disease and pest resistant, so toxic chemicals are unnecessary. Its seeds can be collected to grow next year's crop, too.
Also, hemp can save our forests! It produces a top-quality pulp for papermaking and an excellent fiber that can be used in lieu of wood for homebuilding, and it's more productive than timber. For example, an acre of hemp generates more pulp than four acres of trees.
The economy also gains. As more and more U.S. jobs are being shipped out to Southeast Beelzebub by corporate America, hemp offers a grassroots opportunity for new economic growth and job creation. The whole plant can be used commercially--leaves, stalk, seeds, oils, and resins. For example:
- Make paper! Paper made from hemp is the best in the world--from beautiful writing papers to cardboard.
- Eat hemp! Its seeds have a wonderful flavour, great cooking versability, and are more nutritious than soybean seeds because they are high in essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and dietary fiber and they boost your immune system and are heart-friendly. The oil also makes a great base for skin care products
- Make beer! Breweries in Kentucky, Maryland, and California are turning out case-loads of really good hemp brews
- Wear it! Hemp makes strong canvas shoes and beautiful fabrics that 'breathe' naturally. Hemp shower curtains are light and--get this--don't mildew. Hemp carpets are durable and naturally flame retardant.
- Industrialize it! Hemp fiber-board can replace wood; its scrap can be a biomass alternative for gasoline. And it's a biodegradable substitute for plastics--BMW already uses hemp-fiber plastic for some of its trunk and door panels, and Ford is considering using it to make radiator grills.
Bush, Ashcroft & Gang, crazed by anti-drug fever, totally oppose letting U.S. farmers--the heirs of Washington and Jefferson -- raise the most useful crop. The Bush drug war is so stupid that, if you pay close attention to it, it could drive you to drugs.
How stupid is it? Ask Jean Laprise, a Canadian farmer. Birdseed is what got Laprise in trouble with America's Drug Enforcement Agency, which gives new meaning to the term bird brained. He shipped a twenty-ton load of birdseed to a U.S. customer. Some hemp seed was in the mix. The hemp seed is high in nothing but protein and is good for birds and people, but the DEA got wind of Laprise's shipment and had the whole load impounded, saying it contained a trace of the dreaded THC. Let me give you three numbers. Marijuana must have at least 4 percent THC to get anyone high. Industrial hemp is only 1 percent THC, so you can't get high on it. Laprise's birdseed mix tested out with a THC content of 0.0014--one fourteen-thousandths of a percent. Even a tiny bird couldn't get a buzz on that.
To compound this raw stupidity, the DEA demanded that Laprise recall seventeen loads of hemp-based products he had earlier shipped to the United States. This recall included hemp seed used by Nutiva, a California company that makes granola bars. As a result, Nituva has to suspend production, forcing a layoff at the company. Also, a wholesaler was about to pick up Nutiva's bar for national distribution but backed out of the deal after it learned that the DEA was messing with the company.
What the hell is the DEA smoking? It's time to free hemp in the Land of the Free." --- Over and out...
As well, I wanted to include this note for reference:
The Secret to Sucess..... by Marcel Gignac .... fully making your own medicine.
Think this does not apply to you?... Skip to PART 4.
It is no secret that the Pharmaceutical companies do NOT want people to actually get better. That is bad for business. It is also no secret that our Governments are controlled by the people with money.
Several thousand years ago, man started to use a plant as a medicine. This went on for years until someone realized they couldn't make any money off it. Then a few years ago a man by the name of Rick Simpson, decided to treat himself using concentrated extracts from the plant. It worked better than he could have imagined.
The only problem... it's illegal, and because of that it's been a secret. It truly is time to have the laws changed. I don't care about profit margins and I care even less for shareholders. I think every man, woman, and child on earth deserves to be healthy at their choice, not by a corrupt government.
For that reason I will let everyone in on the secret with the following simple instructions.
*** I assume no responsibility if you are too stupid to follow these directions. I have come up with these to be as simple and as safe as possible. As with anything there is always a risk. Do not add stupidity to the mixture. THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.***
PART 1 ...OUTDOORS
1. Take 100 grams of very dry crumbly plant (preferably buds). The better the plant the better the medicine. Place in a clean container and add enough 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to just cover the plant. Stir for one to two minutes to make sure it is well mixed.
2. Strain the liquid (will be greenish in color) from the plant mater using cheesecloth or something similar into a clean container.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 using the already wet plant. This will use a lot less alcohol this time. The first wash will remove approximately 75% of the active ingredients. The second wash removes the rest.
4. Use basket or cone style paper coffee filters and strain all of the liquid into a slow cooker. Place the cooker on a stable base in a very well ventilated area and allow to heat up and boil off the alcohol. This may take a few hours, so be patient.
5. As the product boils down, check from time to time and stir with a metal spatula or spoon. Continue this until the extract starts to adhere to the spoon and the bubbles seem to last longer on the surface.
6.Transfer the thickened extract to a smaller container such as a small stainless steel saucepan and prepare for part 2.
PART 2 ... INDOORS (for the non stupid ones.. stupid people stay outside)
At this point you will have a fairly thick syrup with some foamy bubbles on top. There will be very little residual alcohol left at this point but some precautions must be maintained if doing the finishing inside.
1. In a well ventilated area place the pot on an electric heating surface. An electric coffee cup warmer is ideal but an electric stove or hot plate set on the lowest setting will also work very well. ** If you have a gas stove.. get something else.**
2. As the bubbles form and disperse, gently scrape the sides and bottom to keep it well mixed. The bubbles are formed by the water in the alcohol and extracted from the plant. The alcohol starts evaporating at about 100 deg F, the water at 200, the oil will start well past that.
3. When there are no more bubbles coming to the surface or the sides, you will have a very sticky oil that may be a greenish honey colored oil that is mostly transparent. The quantity depending on the plant quality should be from 10 to 15 grams. Each gram is equal to 1 milliliter.
4. Using a 10 ml oral syringe (free from most pharmacies), draw the oil into the syringe. Don't rush as this will involve scraping the oil to a low spot and repeatedly drawing on the syringe then removing any air also drawn in. You will not remove all of the oil and you will need more than one syringe. If you need the pot for something else, it can be washed out using a bit of alcohol. Ideally leave it in there for the next batch as it will easily mix. (Some will undoubtedly remove it in small amounts for smoking and this is perfectly fine as well.)
PART 3 ... INGESTING
Like any powerful medication, it will take a bit of time to build up a tolerance. A dose the size of a grain of rice is equal to approximately 0.2 ml. This is the same size that will fit into a #3 (which is the smallest), pill capsule which is the very easy to swallow. This allows for 5 full doses per gram. It can also be put in food or eaten off your finger if you like a sticky mouth.
Injecting the warm oil into empty pill capsules is by far the simplest way to ensure equal doses. Each dose will provide relief for approximately 5 hours from pain and spasticity. A full dose which seems to work the best for pretty much anything such as MS or any of the cancers is 3 full capsules or 0.6 ml per day. Some with very aggressive forms of cancer have even gone much higher in dosage with no ill effects.
The best time to take your first dose is on a day off. I say this because everyone reacts differently. If you have never experienced cannabis before, this will probably cause you to lay down for a while. The hippies called it a body stone. Your body may get to a state of total relaxation (relief). This is not good for your first time if you are being stupid and going for a drive. Sit back and relax. An hour after ingesting the dose, the effects will be felt more than known. Listening to some music will also help greatly.
The idea is to understand how you react and handle the medicine. Because it can cause drowsiness, some people will only take it at bed time. Myself personally find I am more alert and awake than I am drowsy or dopey. Everyone is different.
For topical application such as skin cancers or burns, apply a small amount directly to the affected area and cover with a bandage. Ideally you can also heat 100 ml of olive oil in a microwave then stir in 1 ml of pure oil and mix well.* This has not been tested by me yet but is used all the time, so I would suggest not to use it on open wounds, unless someone can tell me different.*
*** Stupid things you should NOT do... DO NOT TRY TO COOK OFF THE ALCOHOL INDOORS. Hot vapours result in explosive atmospheres. DO NOT STAND OVER THE COOKER. Unless you are a total idiot already suffering from brain damage.****
PART 4 .. for the ones that skipped it.
If you figure that this is info that you will never need or want, all I ask is that you read the list below of ailments that have been treated with proof. If you know anyone that has or is suffering any of the follow, please pass it on and share this with everyone you know.
ADD & ADHD
ALS
Alzheimers
Appetite Stimulant
Arthritis.. including Rheumatoid
Asthma
Atherosclerosis
Burns
Cancers... all
Chemotherapy
Diabetes
Depression
Epilepsy
Fibromyalgia
Glaucoma
Heart Disease and Cardiovascular
Hepatitis
Herpes
HIV & AIDS
Lupus
Multiple Sclerosis
Neuropathic pain
Osteoporosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Plantar Warts
PMS
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
This list as well as many many more are all treatable with one plant that can also provide fuel, food and fiber for wood and paper. The pharmaceutical companies makes hundreds of billions of dollars a year supposedly treating that list. Not once have they ever cured anything. It's time we took care of ourselves.
My friends and I that use this oil to treat ourselves and the ones that have cured themselves know the truth. And now you know and it didn't cost you a friggin cent. Except for the effort it takes for you to pass this on to others.
100% pure medicine made from 1 natural ingredient that has been proven to cure what synthetic chemicals won't.
[thank you Rick Simpson, Nova Scotian hero.. and thank you Marcel]
This is an interview by a New Brunswick pair with Rick Simpson done (in six parts) shortly before Rick left Nova Scotia for Europe.. where he has been warmly received and will probably remain for some time...
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikjpNVehg30&feature=youtu.be
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIXyVKRnXb0&NR=1
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOG2-tr4ytw&NR=1
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heFtxv7rjZs&NR=1
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNmuIOHxqQc&feature=related
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FxhHIwjXXs&feature=related
Please checkout the film "Run from the Cure: The Rick Simpson Story" .. this massive cover-up needs to get exposed and the truth needs to get out.. because people are dying... could be someone you love and why? For the greed... here is the link for the full film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0psJhQHk_GI
His website is: http://www.phoenixtears.ca/ ... also, the follow-up after this film is important to note... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ltuj949gK4&feature=related ... Rick Simpson is a hero NOT a criminal.
And an additional one with filmmaker Christian Laurette (filmmaker of "Run from The Cure") ... exposing more lies from the media, police, etc.... how much is going to be enough for people to wake up to the truth... what is happening here... what do you say? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F5DE6MnM8s&feature=related
Simply put... we need to grow up.. and we should focus on saving lives... and caring about people.. we should all be sticking up for Rick!!!
Max Igan ( http://www.thecrowhouse.com/ ) in Australia is someone I respect and listen to ... here's his interview with Rick Simpson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp70hRrfFu8
This is a recent TV interview Rick Simpson gave as well (in Europe)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrPttLXrdX4 Canada, and the USA, seem a long long way behind Europe in their health care knowledge.
