The Great Book of Hemp: The Complete Guide to the Environmental, Commercial, and Medicinal Uses of the World's Most Extraordinary Plant - Paperback

by Rowan Robinson (Author)

Hemp, Cannabis sativa, has been called the world's most versatile plant. Materials made from hemp fiber have been discovered in tombs dating back to 7000 B.C. During the Middle Ages hemp was used to treat fevers, insomnia, and malaria. Columbus's ships had sails of hemp, and during colonial times it was universally grown because its strong fibers made superior ropes, sails, cloth, and paper. In fact, hemp was used for money in most of the Americas from 1631 until the early 1800s, and the original drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written on hemp paper.

As a food, the oil from hemp seeds has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids and the lowest percentage of saturated fats. Britain and Canada have recently lifted bans on growing industrial hemp and today it is reappearing in the marketplace in an amazing array of products: from lip-salve, jeans, salad oil, and cheese to paper products, composite fiberboard, and biomass fuel.

This illustrated, easy-to-read guide covers all aspects of hemp:

- The history of its cultivation worldwide

- Its role as a source of renewable energy and as an alternative for paper manufacturing and fossil fuels

- Its versatility as a fiber

- Its many nutritional and medicinal uses

- Examines the physiological and psychological effects of marijuana use in recreation and therapy

- A comprehensive resource section includes information on organizations involved in legalizing hemp, product suppliers, and an annotated bibliography.

Back Jacket

CURRENT AFFAIRS " Hemp is of first necessity of the wealth and protection of the country." --Thomas Jefferson Hemp, Cannabis sativa, has been called man's greatest plant ally. It has been worshipped as a source of spiritual enlightenment and a sustainer of human life, but until recently hemp's amazing past was virtually forgotten. Once at the foundation of civilization's economy, it was not until the twentieth century that hemp was outlawed. But hemp is back. Europe and Canada have lifted bans on growing industrial hemp and it has exploded onto the marketplace in a dazzling array of products: from jeans, sneakers, and lip balm to tree-free paper, fiber board, and insulation. With new technology it is possible to make anything from hemp that we now make from petroleum--including paint, plastic, and biomass energy. In this illustrated, comprehensive guide, Rowan Robinson reveals hemp's hidden history. He examines hemp's role as man's first fiber crop, its role in Hinduism and other world religions, and as the catalyst of cultural revolution in the 1960s. Robinson also exposes the prejudices and cover-ups behind the marijuana hysteria of the last fifty years. Calling on contemporary studies, as well as ancient wisdom, Robinson makes an extensive analysis of the nutritional and medicinal uses of hemp and of its surprising potential to solve some of the world's, most troubling environmental problems such as soil erosion, soil contamination, and deforestation. With a resource section listing the companies and organizations involved in the hemp renaissance, The Great Book of Hemp is your complete guide to the world's most extraordinary plant.

Author Biography

Rowan Robinson is the pen name of an author who chooses to remain anonymous.