My apologies to fans of the Elson-Gray Reader’s Dick and Jane books, this is as simple as possible for a few lug heads out there who get all glassy eyed when you start getting into details.  The following comes from the web site TreeHugger.com:

As you might have heard by now, there’s legislation brewing in California to legalize marijuana. And no, the purpose of Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s bill is not to legally allow the entire state to get high and forget all about its budget woes—the point of the bill is to fix them. By making the sale of marijuana legal to those 21 and up, and taxing each ounce sold with a $50 fee, California could rake in an estimated $1.3 billion dollars a year. But what would it mean for the environment?

Looking for a Bill on Grass to Pass More marijuana is grown in California than any other state. As it stands, it’s already the state’s biggest cash crop–it’s just not legal. So, the reasoning goes, if there’s this major industry that’s operating entirely outside the law, why not legalize it and reap the fiscal benefits? Many believe that marijuana is no more (or even less) dangerous than alcohol, which provides a wellspring of tax revenue for state coffers.

The new laws would be similar to those regulating alcohol—you would have to be 21 to buy, sell, possess, or grow the stuff.

And here’s the kicker—legalizing marijuana could be better for the environment.

A Sticky Situation A couple of years ago, it was discovered that marijuana crops were bad for forests, and they helped threaten endangered species. Growers would tend crops, harvest, and abandon their farms in the fall, leaving behind: (from an earlier TreeHugger report)

Irrigation tubes that snake for a mile or more over forested ridges. Pesticides that have drained into creeks and entered the food chain, sickening wildlife. Piles of trash and human waste in the most rugged and bucolic drainages.

As the US Forest Service put it, “they basically trash our public lands.”

But these reckless, damaging practices come about largely due to two reasons:

1. Growers are afraid of the legal repercussions should they get caught—so they grow crops on land that isn’t theirs (read: national forests), in hidden areas that aren’t good for agriculture. They trample and endanger ecosystems in the process. 2. There are no regulations marijuana growers must follow—they’re already breaking the law, so how much consideration do you think they’ll give to making sure they’re following sustainable farming practices?

Greener Marijuana? Now all this is not excuse illegal marijuana growing at all–the farmers have no right to be on that land, and no right to endanger our forest habitats. But who wants to bet that marijuana farms aren’t going away anytime soon? And that the farmers will continue to damage the environment so as long as the practice is illegal and unregulated?

As of 2006, there were over 21 million marijuana plants harvested in California. That’s a lot of unregulated, potentially destructive farming. If buying, selling, and growing marijuana were legalized, then a whole new set of regulations could be imposed to monitor the grow centers and ensure they observed California agriculture laws. Pesticide use could be controlled, errant trash disposal could minimized, and public lands would be better protected—it would erase the need for reckless guerrilla farming. Farmers would be able to plant in areas better suited for agriculture, and would disrupt fewer forest habitats as a result.

It’s still a deeply hypothetical scenario—the legalization bill is still a long shot—but making marijuana legal could very well be better for the environment.

Like I said, it’s really rather simple to understand.

In addition, fiberboard created from hemp would reduce our dependency on logging and slow down deforestation.  But that’s not even the tip of the Hemp iceberg.  Here are some more uses from Hemp.com:

Hemp and Industry
There are over 25,000 known uses for hemp.
The heating and compressing of hemp fibers can create building materials superior to wood in strength, quality and cost.
Hemp is heat, mildew, pest, light, and rot resistant.
Hemp fabric is softer, warmer, more water resistant and more durable than cotton. Hemp fabric also uses less chemicals to produce.
Industrial uses of hemp in China date as far back as 10,000 years.

Hemp as a Fuel Source

A bio-diesel fuel is one made from hemp oil, vegetable oil, or other animal fat. The original idea wax developed in 1895 by Dr. Rudolph Diesel, who developed the first engine than ran on vegetable oil. He demonstrated the engine at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, France, running the engine on peanut oil.
Hemp can be blended with diesel fuel in any ratio or used alone.
Bio-diesel fuel is the only alternative fuel that can be used as-is, in any un-modified diesel engine.
The increased use of bio-diesel fuels would reduce dependence on foreign sources while increasing national agricultural jobs and revenues.
The flashpoint of petroleum fuel is 125 degrees Fahrenheit while the flashpoint of biodiesel fuels is 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Biodiesel fuels have been used successfully in Europe for over 20 years.

Hemp as a Profitable Crop
Hemp is cold hardy, able to withstand even NH winters.
Hemp is pest resistant ( except from the 2-legged kind)
Hemp is drought resistant
It is estimated that if 6% of the continental U.S. planted with hemp would provide for all national energy needs.
Hemp has a production rate of up to 10 tons per acre, every 4 months.
1 acre of usable hemp fiber is equal to the usable fiber of 4 acres of trees or 2 acres of cotton.
Trees mature in 50-100 years; hemp matures in as little as 100 days.
The University of Missouri estimates that an average-size metropolitan area production of 100 million gallons of bio-diesel fuel could generate $8.34million in personal income and 6000 temporary and permanent jobs. (Ref: National Bio-diesel Board)
In 1776 a hemp shirt cost .50 cents to $1.00; a cotton shirt cost $100-$200

Hemp and the Environment
Bio-diesel fuels emit 80% less carbon dioxide & nearly 100% less sulfur dioxide.
Hemp paper can be recycled up to seven (7) times; wood pulp paper can be recycled four (4) times.
Hemp fuels do not destroy the ozone layer or contribute to global warming.
Hemp fuels burn clean; they do not cause acid rain.
Hemp fuel is 10 times less toxic than salt, and as biodegradable as sugar.

Hemp and Health
Hemp oil is the highest source of essential omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which, among other things, help control cholesterol, arterial blockage and the immune system.
Commonly-known medicinal uses of hemp include: nausea & vomiting; multiple sclerosis/muscle spasm disorders; spinal cord injuries; Chron’s disease; Alzheimer’s disease; Tourette’s syndrome; digestive disorders; glaucoma; asthma; neuro-degenerative disorders;
At one time American companies Eli Lily, Squibb and Park Davis produced cannabis extract medicines.

Hemp and the Law
In 1619 Jamestown Colony, Virginia enacted laws ordering farmers to grow hemp. Similar laws were enacted in Massachusetts in 1631, Connecticut in 1632 and the Chesapeake Colonies in the mid-1700′s.
In England, foreigners were awarded with citizenship if they grew cannabis; those who refused were fined.
From 1631 until the early 1800′s, hemp was used as legal money, with which one could buy goods and pay bills.
Hawaii is the first state sine the 1950′s to legally plant a hemp crop.

Hemp and the Arts
“Alice in Wonderland” was originally printed on hemp paper. It’s author, Lewis Carroll, was a frequent marijuana smoker.
The paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt were regularly painted on hemp canvases.
In 1935 116 million pounds (58,000 tons) of hemp seed was used to make paints and varnishes.

When you add the money saved from investigation, prosecution and incarceration of marijuana users, this all becomes a win-win situation for everyone involved – except for those who profit from illegal marijuana or a few environmental killers.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 9:22 am and is filed under Environment, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.