Hemp

A hemp field in Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany, France, which is Europe's largest hemp producer as of 2022
Drone video of a hemp themed maze in a hemp (kanep in Estonian) field in Kanepi parish, Estonia (August 2022)

Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products.[1] Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants[2] on Earth. It was also one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 50,000 years ago.[3] It can be refined into a variety of commercial items, including paper, rope, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed.[4][5]

Although chemotype I cannabis and hemp (types II, III, IV, V) are both Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), they represent distinct cultivar groups, typically with unique phytochemical compositions and uses.[6] Hemp typically has lower concentrations of total THC and may have higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), which potentially mitigates the psychoactive effects of THC.[7] The legality of hemp varies widely among countries. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content into commercial production.[8][9]

  1. ^ Britt Erickson (4 November 2019). "USDA releases hemp production requirements". C&EN Global Enterprise. 97 (43): 17. doi:10.1021/cen-09743-polcon4. ISSN 2474-7408. S2CID 213055550.
  2. ^ Robert Deitch (2003). Hemp: American History Revisited: The Plant with a Divided History. Algora Publishing. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-87586-226-2.
  3. ^ Tourangeau W (2015), "Re-defining Environmental Harms: Green Criminology and the State of Canada's Hemp Industry", Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 57 (4): 528–554, doi:10.3138/cjccj.2014.E11, S2CID 143126182
  4. ^ Keller NM (2013), "The Legalization of Industrial Hemp and What it Could Mean for Indiana's Biofuel Industry" (PDF), Indiana International & Comparative Law Review, 23 (3): 555, doi:10.18060/17887 (inactive 31 March 2024), archived (PDF) from the original on 3 January 2022, retrieved 18 May 2016{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of March 2024 (link)
  5. ^ Johnson R (22 March 2019). Defining Hemp: A Fact Sheet (PDF). Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  6. ^ Toth JA, Stack GM, Cala AR, Carlson CH, Wilk RL, Crawford JL, Viands DR, Philippe G, Smart CD, Rose JK, Smart LB (2020). "Development and validation of genetic markers for sex and cannabinoid chemotype in Cannabis sativa L." GCB Bioenergy. 12 (3): 213–222. Bibcode:2020GCBBi..12..213T. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12667. ISSN 1757-1707.
  7. ^ Swanson TE (2015), "Controlled Substances Chaos: The Department of Justice's New Policy Position on Marijuana and What It Means for Industrial Hemp Farming in North Dakota" (PDF), North Dakota Law Review, 90 (3): 602, archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2016, retrieved 18 May 2016
  8. ^ Talbot G (2015). Specialty Oils and Fats in Food and Nutrition: Properties, Processing and Applications. Elsevier Science. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-78242-397-3.
  9. ^ Crime UN (2009). Recommended Methods for the Identification and Analysis of Cannabis and Cannabis Products: Manual for Use by National Drug Testing Laboratories. United Nations Publications. p. 12. ISBN 978-92-1-148242-3.[permanent dead link]