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What is Hemp?
An annual herbaceous plant, hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa species, which has been cultivated throughout history specifically for many commercial and industrial purposes. Each part of the hemp plant is used in the production of a wide variety of goods ranging from fabrics to food to medicine to construction materials. It is often referred to as industrial hemp to avoid confusion with its psychoactive cousin marijuana.
Hemp vs. Marijuana
Industrial hemp is often confused with its close cousin Marijuana. Though both are classified under the genus Cannabis, and have some similar physical properties, hemp and marijuana have notably different characteristics. Unlike marijuana, hemp contains very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound responsible for producing the “high” feeling.
“Marijuana and Hemp. What is the difference?” by Alicia Bozza is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Hemp
Family: Cannabaceae
Genus: Cannabis
Species: Cannabis sativa
Appearance: average 5 metres (16 feet) tall
Consumption of industrial hemp does not result in any psychoactive effects, the “high” feeling.
Hemp is almost devoid of the cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is attributed to the psychoactive effects when consuming marijuana. Hemp has less than 0.3% THC concentration, which is 33x times less than marijuana.
Instead, industrial hemp is high in another cannabinoid called cannabidiol (CBD), which isn’t psychoactive and greatly benefits the endocannabinoid system in the human body.
Industrial hemp is less known today despite its long history and many uses. However, a recent growth in popularity, and changes in legislation, have motivated growth in the use of industrial hemp.
Products
Hemp has been used in the production of thousands of products including: construction materials, paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, cosmetics, animal feed, and more.
Crop Rotation
Hemp is excellent when used during crop rotation. It has a natural ability to overgrow and kill tough weeds. It grows tall and dense, thus blocking sunlight from reaching weeds below. Using hemp like this can help gain organic certification, while also generating additional revenue compared to other crop rotation methods.
Filtration
Aside from being used as a raw material for manufacturing various products, Hemp can be used to clear impurities out of wastewater. One extreme example is hemp is being used at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site to clean contaminants such as radioisotopes and other toxins from the soil, water, and air.
Growing Environment
Hemp can be grown in a wide range of environments. It thrives in various soil types and can handle cooler, wetter climates. Hemp is typically grown in large, open fields, where it’s less dependent on strict environmental controls.
Planting Density
Depending on the desired yield, hemp may be grown either densely or sparsely.
Hemp is usually planted densely, with plants spaced around 4 to 6 inches apart to encourage competition between neighbouring plants for sunlight. This helps maximize fiber production from the stalks and makes it easier to harvest mechanically. Hemp is often grown in large, monoculture fields to produce a high volume of material for industrial uses.
Hemp specifically grown for its flowers, for high CBD yield, will often be grown sparsely, with plants spaced around 2 to 5 feet apart, may be trained using various methods (like topping, pruning, or bending) to encourage the growth of strong, resin-rich flowers.
Growth and Harvesting
Hemp grows relatively quickly, with a typical life-cycle of 3 to 4 months. Depending on the desired yield, hemp may be harvested at different stages of its life cycle.
Hemp is often harvested for fibre production between 60-90 days, and for seed between 90-120 days. Harvesting hemp for CBD occurs between 56-84 days, after the flowers have fully matured.
Marijuana
Family: Cannabaceae
Genus: Cannabis
Species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis
Appearance: varies between species; average 16 feet, 4 feet, and 2 feet tall respectively
The major differences between hemp and marijuana are their appearance and the amount of the cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana has a THC concentration ranging from 10%-30%. THC is the psychoactive chemical responsible for producing the “high” feeling.
Marijuana is widely known for its use as a psychoactive recreational drug and it’s medicinal uses. When consumed either by ingestion or inhalation, the cannabinoid THC causes a psychoactive effect on the brain resulting in a “high” feeling.
Throughout history, different strains of cannabis have been cross-bred in order to produce different psychoactive effects and medicinal benefits.
Growing Environment
Marijuana requires more specific growing conditions, thus is typically cultivated indoors is an environment with controlled light, temperature, and humidity levels. Doing so maximizes yield and controls environmental factors.
Planting Density
Cannabis grown for marijuana need more space to develop a high volume of flowers, which need adequate room to grow. Plants are spaced about 2 to 5 feet apart, and they may be trained using various methods (like topping, pruning, or bending) to encourage the growth of strong, resin-rich flowers.
Growth and Harvesting
Marijuana plants are typically cultivated in phases: a vegetative phase (4–6 weeks) where the plant grows leaves and stems, followed by a flowering phase (8–12 weeks). Marijuana is harvested when the flowers reach their peak THC or CBD levels. Harvesting is often done by hand to preserve the flowers’ quality and to prevent damage.
Hemp Products
Hemp has been cultivated for thousands of years, and every part of the plant used for various purposes:
- Fiber: Hemp fibers are incredibly strong and durable, making them useful for textiles, ropes, and biodegradable plastics.
- Hurd: Hemp can be used in the creation of eco-friendly construction materials, like hemplime (also known as hempcrete) a material for construction and insulation.
- Seeds: Hemp seeds are highly nutritious and are used in food products, offering protein, healthy fats, and other essential nutrients.
- Seed Oil: Hemp oil, derived from the seeds, is used in skincare products, as a dietary supplement, and in cooking.
- Flowers: Hemp flowers are highly versatile and serve many functions, especially in the health and wellness industry. CBD extracted from hemp flowers is used in various products for both humans and animals.
Environmental Benefits
Hemp is one of the most environmentally friendly crops, and its cultivation and use offer numerous benefits to the environment. Various industries are reducing their environmental impact due to its versatility and eco-friendly attributes.
Hemp plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere as they grow. They have a high carbon sequestration rate, capturing a significant amount of CO2 relative to their size.
Growing hemp helps reduce the overall concentration of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, thus mitigating climate change.
Like all plants, hemp produces oxygen while it grows, helping improve air quality. In addition, hemp requires minimal pesticides and herbicides, so hemp farming has minimal negative impacts on air quality compared to conventional farming practices due to these chemicals.
By improving air quality and absorbing CO2, hemp farming can contribute to better environmental health and air quality.
Hemp grows rapidly and can be harvested in as little as 3-4 months, making it a renewable resource for a vast variety of products.
Hemp provides an eco-friendly alternative resource for many products derived from non-renewable or long-to-harvest resources like wood, oil, and synthetic plastics, helping to reduce deforestation and reliance on fossil fuels.
Hemp products have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to their conventional counterparts. For example, hempcrete is a carbon-negative building material, meaning it sequesters more carbon than is emitted during its production. Use of hemp building materials helps to reduce the embodied carbon of construction projects.
Hemp requires significantly less irrigation compared to many other crops, such as cotton or maize. It is a drought-tolerant plant due to its deep root system, efficient water use, fast growing cycle, and heat tolerance. Because of this, it can thrive in a variety of climates while conserving water resources, especially in regions facing water scarcity or drought conditions. Hemp is a more sustainable choice in terms of agricultural water use.
Hemp is a deep-rooted plant that helps to improve soil structure by breaking up compacted soil layers. Hemp can improve soil health, enhance soil fertility, and even reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Hemp also helps in phytoremediation of soil, air, and water by absorbing hazardous toxins and heavy metal contaminants. It is also a useful crop in crop rotation systems, helping to prevent soil erosion and maintain soil nutrients.
Hemp requires fewer chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides compared to many other crops. In addition, hemp can be cultivated in poor soil conditions, reducing the need for synthetic soil amendments.
This reduces environmental pollution, the risk of chemical runoff into rivers and groundwater, and helps protect biodiversity by avoiding the harm that synthetic chemicals cause to surrounding ecosystems.
Hemp is naturally resistant to pests and diseases, reducing the need for synthetic pesticides. Weeds have a difficult time growing amongst hemp because of its dense planting, rapid and tall growth, and broad leaves, eliminating the need for herbicides. The lack of chemical pesticide and herbicide use helps conserve surrounding ecosystems, reduce soil contamination, and prevent harmful chemicals from entering water supplies.
Hemp’s root system grows deeply and densely into the soil, helping to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. It is particularly effective in preventing wind and water erosion on hillsides and other vulnerable areas, and can help mitigate soil erosion after a wildfire.
Hemp’s ability to prevent soil erosion helps preserve ecosystems, the integrity of the land, improve water retention, and maintain agricultural productivity in the long term.
Many hemp-based products, such as fibers and textiles, are biodegradable and decompose naturally without releasing toxic chemicals. This is in contrast to synthetic materials, which can take hundreds of years to break down.
Hemp’s biodegradable nature reduces the burden of plastic pollution and waste in landfills, making it an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based products.
Brief History of Hemp
An archaeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan contained cannabis achenes from about 8000 BCE, indicating hemp was one of the first and oldest known human agriculture crops dating back to this time and possibly even further back in history.
The use of hemp in crafting has dated back to the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) in China. Archaeologically dating back to 4000 BCE, hemp fiber imprints were found on Yangshao culture pottery. The Chinese later used hemp to make clothes, shoes, ropes, and an early form of paper. The first use of cannabis as a medicine was by Emperor Shen Neng in 2737 BCE, and the first hemp paper was in 100 BCE.
The classical Greek historian Herodotus (ca. 480 BCE) reported that the inhabitants of Scythia would often inhale the vapors of hemp-seed smoke, both as ritual and for their own pleasurable recreation. It was about this time when hemp was introduced to Northern Europe. The first hemp rope appeared in 200 BCE.
In the 1910s and 1920s, anti-cannabis laws introduced in the Midwest and Southwest of the U.S. targeted Mexican Americans and migrants. In 1930, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics was formed and Harry J. Anslinger appointed as commissioner. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 banned the non-medical use of cannabis in every state.
“Hemp For Victory – USDA Full Official 1942” by U.S. Department of Agriculture is licensed under Public Domain
In 1942, during World War II, U.S. farmers were encouraged to grow industrial hemp for the war effort because industrial fibers imported from overseas were in short supply.
To help meet demand for the war effort, a ‘Hemp For Victory’ educational video was created to help farmers learn how to grow, harvest, and refine hemp so it could be made into vital items such as clothing, rope, and more.
In the late 1970s, the war on drugs banned cannabis in many countries around the world as an attempt to control the use of cannabis. Because industrial hemp is cannabis, this destroyed the hemp industry in many countries around the world.In Canada, the cultivation of industrial hemp was legalized in 1998. In the U.S., twenty years later, the cultivation of industrial hemp was legalized with the Farm Bill of 2018.
“Hemp for Victory” by High Road TV is licensed under Standard YouTube License
Cultivation of industrial hemp has been recognized as a sustainable agricultural crop and is legally cultivated in many places of the world, and now the hemp industry is catching up. There is great opportunity in the hemp industry.
Hemp continues to be used to produce thousands of sustainable products in categories ranging from clothing & apparel, food & nutrition, health & beauty, home goods, construction, pet supplies, and many more!