"What was done with the seed saved from the India Hemp last summer? It ought, all of it, to have been sewn again; that not only a stock of seed sufficient for my own purposes might have been raised, but to have disseminated the seed to others; as it is more valuable than the common Hemp."
George Washington
Writings of Washington, Vol. 35, pg. 72
Yes, George Washington grew hemp, and rather curiously he grew "India hemp"--i.e., Cannabis indica, which unlike American hemp, Cannabis sativa, (which is best for fiber production and except for some Mexican and Central/South American varieties contains little THC), Cannabis indica is of lesser value for fiber and contains MUCH THC (the psychotropic substance in Marijuana).
Basically, that George Washington valued India hemp over "common Hemp" "for my own purposes" (which would be?!?!) indicates he liked it for other than it's qualities as a textile producing plant. In other words, this letter seems to indicate this nation's first president smoked weed!!!!! Our current President doesn't deny marijuana use, nor do the two preceding. Why is it still illegal?!?!
According to another hemp historian, Washington and Thomas Jefferson were known to exchange "smoking mixtures"--and Jefferson was known to have a dislike for tobacco!!!
(http://www.rexresearch.com/hhist/hhist2~1.htm)
"I wouldn't miss the hemp harvest at Mount Vernon for all the tea in China."
- Washington to Ben Franklin in France during fundraising for the American Revolution according to Dr. Burke, President of the American Historical Reference Society and consultant to the Smithsonian Institution.
Beyond these facts is the overwhelming evidence that hemp and marijuana production, and the taxation of their sale, would be very good for this nation's economy. Hemp could easily replace both paper pulp from trees as well as much of the timber used for building houses. Plastics from hemp are already viable, thus replacing the toxic fucking mess made by petroleum based plastics, both in their production and in the waste left, as plastic bags, etc., end up killing wildlife and otherwise damaging our environment.
One acre of hemp provides ten-times the paper pulp as the same acre of timber, and can be harvested up to four times a year, as opposed to once every twenty to fourty years.
Struggling farmers, as well as those with agricultural land now only suitable for grazing, could greatly benefit from a vibrant hemp industry.
As I stated in a previous blog entry, during President Barack Obama's online "town hall meeting" the majority of questions were about the legalization and taxation on the sale of marijuana and hemp. The people want it. Legalization makes sense for the economy. LETS MAKE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS HAPPEN NOW!!!
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