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| <H4><B>HEMP</b></H4> | |||
| ''Cannabis,'' also known (in one drug form) as ], is any of several different species of mildly ] plants whose main active ingredient is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or ]. Cannabis is a member of the family ], in the order ]. It grows in most climates. The tough fiber of the cannabis plant is known as ] and has various uses, including the manufacture of ], ], and ]. | |||
| <i>Cannabis sativa</i> L. | |||
| Hemp is a member of the <i>Canabinaceae</i> family a small group of ]. | |||
| <h3>Pharmacology</h3> | |||
| Hemp, most likely, originated in Central Asia and it is one of the oldest cultivated plants and has probably been cultivated in China for over 4500 years. | |||
| Although the main psychoactive substance in Cannabis is THC the plant contains about 60 cannabinoids in total. The complexity of this mixture has lead to speculation as to why the effects of the plant can differ from the synthetically manufacured dronabinol. | |||
| There are broadly three groups of Hemp varieties being cultivated today : | |||
| "Normal" herbal cannabis usually contains between 0.5-5% THC although through selective breading and cultivation techniques (such as ]) varieties now exist that have upto 25% THC content. The THC content is also affected by the sex of the plant, with females generating more THC laden resin than their male counterparts. ''Sinsemilla'' (from the ] for "without seed") is derived from unpollinated female plants and has an even higher THC content. | |||
| * Varieties primarily cultivated for their fibre characterized by long stems and little branching. | |||
| <h3>Effects</h3> | |||
| * Varieties grown for seed from which hemp oil is extracted | |||
| * Varieties grown for medicinal or narcotic purposes. The resin, known variously as ], ] or ], is obtained from the dried inflorescences, leaves and stems. | |||
| Most hemp for fibre is mainly grown in the temperate regions while hemp for seed and the other purposes is more (sub) tropical in adaptation. | |||
| Cannabis is ], meaning it affects the mind and/or behaviour. Its main effects include a "mellow" good feelings as well as giggling, and the frequent short-term side-effect of increased appetite. Larger doses can cause an increased perception of sight and sound, eventually leading to mild hallucination, usually auditory. | |||
| The use of hemp for fibre production has declined sharply over the past decades but still occupies an important place amongst natural fibres as it is strong, durable and unaffected by water. | |||
| Other effects include ], short term memory loss and ], especially if used in combination with ]. | |||
| The main uses of hemp fibre are in ropes,, sacking, carpets, nets and webbing. | |||
| In recent years hempis being used in increasing quantities in paper manufacturing. | |||
| The ] content is about 70%. | |||
| <H5><B>Major hemp producing countries.</B></H5> | |||
| It is generally not thought possible to overdose on Cannabis as the levels required for toxicity are so high. | |||
| The former ] (former Soviet Union) is the world largest producer (300.000 ]). The main production areas are in the ], the Kursk and Orel regions and near the Polish border. | |||
| Other important producing countries are the former Yugoslavia, Roumania, Poland and Italy. | |||
| Although a mild tolerence of the drug can be built up, it is not thought to be addictive. However some people can build up a psychological dependence. There is some evidence linking long-term use to ] and it can aggravate pre-existing mental conditions. | |||
| <H5><B>Harvesting the fibre</b></H5> | |||
| The long term effects of cannabis still need more study but there are concerns that the high tar content (and the fact it is usually smoked with ]) could lead to an increased risk of lung cancer. | |||
| Smallholder plots are usually harvested by hand. The plants are cut at 2 to 3 cm above the soil and left on the ground to dry. | |||
| Mechanical harvesting is now common by using specially adapted cutter-binders or more simple cutters. | |||
| The cut hemp is laid in swathes to dry for up to four days. This is followed by retting which can be water retting whereby the bundled hemp is floating in water or dew retting whereby the hemp remains on the ground and is affected by the action of dew moisture, moulds and bacterial action. | |||
| Medical uses of marijuana for a variety of conditions is currently being investigated. Anecdotal evidence reports that it has beneficial effects relieving the nausea of ] and ] treatment, its appetite stimulating effect helping combat wasting. It may also help reduce fluid pressure in the eyes associated with ]. There are numerous studies that have shown it can help reduce the pain and tremors of ]. | |||
| <h3>History</h3> | |||
| The use of Cannabis is thought to go back around 4000 years. It was used as medicine throughout ] and the ] to treat a variety of conditions. | |||
| Cannabis was well known by Scythians. Germans have grown Hanf (hemp) for its fibres used to make nautical ropes and material for clothes since ancient times. In the Elbing Prussian vocabulary from around 1350 hemp is recorded as knapis (derived from cannabis). Large fields along the Rhine river banks with hemp plants are featured in 19th century copper etchings. | |||
| The hemp plant has to be soaked to harvest the fibre. This liquid was used as drink. In todays Germany there are bars that serve hemp beer and hemp wine. | |||
| It was used in the western world (usually as a tincture) around the middle of the 19th century. It was famously used to treat ]'s period pains. It was even available from shops in the US. By the end of the 19th centuary its medicinal use began to fall as other drugs such as aspirin took over. | |||
| It was outlawed in the USA somewhere around the time of the end of WW II. | |||
| It has a prominent religious role in the ] religion. | |||
| Although it has probably been used as a recreational drug thoughout its history, it came to prominence in the Jazz scene during the fifties, its use taking off in the ]. | |||
| It is now one of the most widely used illicit drugs in the world. | |||
| <h3>Recreational Use</h3> | |||
| <em>N.B. Recreational use is illegal in most countries, see the next section.</em> | |||
| Recreational use of cannabis has an associated subculture which starts with the number of names for the drug. Examples include: "pot", "dope", "weed", "reefer", "bhang", "green", "herb", "ganja", "sinsemilla", "grass", "mary jane", "chronic", "bud" and many more. | |||
| Cannabis comes in several forms. | |||
| * Dried leaves (usually the flowering tops of female plants). | |||
| * Cannabis resin (]) which is the secretion of the plant, usually dried and processed onto blocks. | |||
| * Cannabis oil ("honey oil","]") which is a concentrate usually involving a solvent based extraction. | |||
| It is most commonly smoked, usually in a "joint" or "]": The dried leaves (possibly mixed with ]) are rolled in paper and smoked much like a cigarette. | |||
| Other methods include using pipes or "]s" (water pipes) to smoke the Cannabis whilst cooling the smoke down and in the case of bongs removing some of the unwanted impurities/tar. | |||
| Cannabis is also used in cooking to make things such as "space cake" and "hash brownies". However it is harder to self-regulate the effects as they usually occur 30-45 minutes after ingestion. | |||
| It can also be taken by dissolving it in cups of coffee, creating a "bhang". | |||
| <h4>The Law</h4> | |||
| <em>N.B. Misplaced Pages does not give legal advice!</em> | |||
| Marijuana was criminalised across most of the world in the early parts of the 20th centuary. There is some confusion as to the reasons as there seems to be different driving forces on either side of the Atlantic. | |||
| In the UK cannabis was outlawed in ] after it became a signatory to the "International Opium Convention" which was held in ] in ]. | |||
| In the US the key law seems to be the ] which was the federal culmination of many seperate state laws that had been enacted in the previous years. | |||
| Laws usually exist for trafficking, cultivation and possesion for personal use. Enforcement of the law varies from country to country. Some notable examples include the ] where it is effectively <em>decriminalised</em> and can be purchased in licensed "coffee shops". | |||
| In many countries ] exercise their discretionary powers to caution or confiscate for possession in small quantities that could be deemed for personal use. | |||
| A recent example was the declaration by ] in ], England that they would not arrest people for possession of cannabis and instead only issue on-the-spot warnings and confiscate the cannabis. | |||
| Following this trial the reclassification of cannabis from Class B to Class C was recommended by the ] in October ]. | |||
| In parts of Australia, notably ] and the ], posession of small quantities of cannabis, and growing limited numbers of plants for personal use, has been decriminalised, now being punishable by an on-the-spot fine of $50 (about 25 USD). Police interest in personal usage and non-commercial growers in the rest of Australia appears to be limited. | |||
| Some other countries (e.g. Canada) are starting to recognise medicinal use of cannabis separately from "normal" possession. | |||
| ---- | |||
| <h4>Links</h4> | |||
| <h5>Drug Information</h5> | |||
| * UK National drugs helpline factsheet | |||
| * American Council for Drug Education factsheet | |||
| * UN Drug control and Prevention factsheet | |||
| <h5>History</h5> | |||
| * The Emperor Wears No Clothes | |||
| * Smokedot.org's take of the history of criminalisation | |||
| <h5>Misc</h5> | |||
| * Smoking device used for tasting Cannabis | |||
| * WHO report on Cannabis health effects | |||
| * UK Panoroma programme on medical trials | |||
| <h5>Advocacy sites</h5> | |||
| <em>This is pro-cannabis biased, any anti-cannabis links?</em> | |||
| * The Cannabis Information Network | |||
| * Cannibis.com | |||
| <table><tr><td>]</td></tr><tr><td>] poster used the late ] and ]</td></tr></table> | |||
| ---- | |||
| ''Please see ] to characterize this controversy. When both (or all) sides have been presented fairly, the text should be put back on this page.'' | |||
Revision as of 13:50, 8 February 2002
HEMP
Cannabis sativa L.
Hemp is a member of the Canabinaceae family a small group of herbaceous plants.
Hemp, most likely, originated in Central Asia and it is one of the oldest cultivated plants and has probably been cultivated in China for over 4500 years.
There are broadly three groups of Hemp varieties being cultivated today :
- Varieties primarily cultivated for their fibre characterized by long stems and little branching.
- Varieties grown for seed from which hemp oil is extracted
- Varieties grown for medicinal or narcotic purposes. The resin, known variously as hashish, ganja or bhang, is obtained from the dried inflorescences, leaves and stems.
Most hemp for fibre is mainly grown in the temperate regions while hemp for seed and the other purposes is more (sub) tropical in adaptation.
The use of hemp for fibre production has declined sharply over the past decades but still occupies an important place amongst natural fibres as it is strong, durable and unaffected by water. The main uses of hemp fibre are in ropes,, sacking, carpets, nets and webbing. In recent years hempis being used in increasing quantities in paper manufacturing. The cellulose content is about 70%.
Major hemp producing countries.
The former Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union) is the world largest producer (300.000 hectares). The main production areas are in the Ukraine, the Kursk and Orel regions and near the Polish border.
Other important producing countries are the former Yugoslavia, Roumania, Poland and Italy.
Harvesting the fibre
Smallholder plots are usually harvested by hand. The plants are cut at 2 to 3 cm above the soil and left on the ground to dry. Mechanical harvesting is now common by using specially adapted cutter-binders or more simple cutters. The cut hemp is laid in swathes to dry for up to four days. This is followed by retting which can be water retting whereby the bundled hemp is floating in water or dew retting whereby the hemp remains on the ground and is affected by the action of dew moisture, moulds and bacterial action.