In 1938 Popular Mechanics Magazine published an article called Billion Dollar Crop, celebrating the promises of the hemp industry and the advances in technology used to process its amazing fibers. Unfortunately petrochemical and pharmaceutical cartels had just partnered with the Department of Treasury in tricking our Congress into passing the prohibitive Marihuana Tax Act. Suddenly the future changed from green to toxic and synthetic with the introduction of nylon to replace hemp canvas and a slew of sketchy pharmaceuticals to replace the highly versatile and powerful cannabis medicine. It was convenient for the chemical companies to outlaw the natural competition but it was devastating to our nations agricultural base and led eventually to all of the outsourcing that we dread today. As a result, a billion cancer deaths and countless other health problems handicap our families and communities and funnel money out of our pockets and away from our local economies and into the void of corporate conglomerates that claim to improve our quality of life. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/popmech1.htm

Hemp grows almost anywhere. All of our paper should be made from hemp, not trees. All of our plastic should be natural bio-degradable composites made with hemp. Most of our building materials could be made out of hemp. Before it was made illegal, hemp oil was used as a natural wood sealer and paint binder. Most of our fuel should be ethanol made from hemp, which is the most efficient source of ethanol fuel. Hemp fibers are the strongest and longest fibers in the natural world and has been used to make durable textiles for thousands of years in every civilization. Hemp seeds are the most nutritious food in the world and prevent heart disease. Everything that is made from soy can be made from hemp. Soaps are made from hemp. Cosmetics and healing oils are made from hemp oil.

The most powerful natural medicine is made from a type of hemp known especially for it's potent buds. The THC oil from the cannabis flowers has been found to inhibit the growth of cancers, kill cancer cells and help the body to heal. It is the most effective anti-inflammatory agent and the only known effective treatment for arthritis, alzheimers, diabetes, and countless other illnesses. Cannabis medicine can be homegrown or produced on a local level, allowing people to save tens of thousands of dollars per year and allowing them to actually treat their health problems instead of just easing the symptoms with chemical synthetics that only cause more problems. http://jeffreydach.com/2009/03/01/medicinal-cannabis-cancer-and-rick-sim...

It's time for us to restore hemp industry to it's rightful place as the backbone of the localized agriculture based economy and allow our future generations to experience the American dream of our pioneering ancestors. Freedom is homegrown and homemade. www.nycamp.org/hip