Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009

Commodities generally refers to a class of goods which has demand but is bought and sold across its markets with little distinction given to its qualitative differences. When we think of commodities, usually coffee beans, wheat and even pork bellies comes to mind. But rarely does one think of hemp stalk and seed. Well that may soon change as the portfolio companies of Medical Marijuana, Inc’s (MJNA.PK) refines these raw materials into unique innovative products that improve the way consumers and health care professionals approach wellbeing and treatments for disease.

The key to successfully turning commodities into consumer products is the result of processing. For example, wheat into flour or pork bellies into bacon. Intellectual property (IP) is what drives those processes and is ultimately what provides the distinction that drives consumer choices. You can buy hickory smoked bacon, honey bacon, thin sliced, thick sliced, low sodium and even turkey bacon; the choices can be endless.

So I wasn’t surprised to see MJNA expand it CBD-rich hemp oil products offerings. The two products gaining the most attention thus far are the Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) and CanChew Biotechnologies’ CanChew gum. More information can be found on CanChew gum in my article CanChew Gum Offers Health & Opportunity.

RSHO (Real Scientific Hemp Oil) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of US Hemp Oil which falls under the PhytoSPHERE client group. US Hemp Oil is the world’s leading hemp products company.

What is RSHO

Real Scientific Hemp Oil is a concentrated form of CBD-rich hemp oil. Cannabidiol or CBD is a naturally occurring compound derived from the industrial hemp plant seed and stalk. RSHO is sold with CBD concentrations between 10%-25%. The company lists the CBD percentage along with a Certificate of Analysis with each product. Real Scientific Hemp Oil is not to be confused with Rick Simpson “Hemp” Oil.

Rick Simpson Oil is really not a hemp product at all. Rather it’s derived from the high THC varieties of the cannabis plants that are associated with marijuana. THC is the cannabinoid that is associated with the psychoactive effect or high marijuana is known for. It’s also the reason that cannabis is illegal at the federal level.

Hemp the Commodity

Hemp is derived from a different variety of the cannabis plant that has little or no THC. The plant has been grown and cultivated throughout the world for thousands of years for industrial and medical purposes. Hemp is an industrial commodity from which a myriad of products can be developed. The list below provides some of the many uses of hemp:

Paper
Rope
Clothing
Ships Sails
Fuel
Building Materials
Food & Supplements
Medicinal Use

There are thousands of other uses for hemp. More information can be found on the Hemp Wikipedia page. You should also visit the IndustrialHemp.net website which provides a very informative Myth vs. Reality section that debunks much of the lore about hemp.

The Journey

Hemp farming was once part of American culture. It was so common that even our country’s Founding Fathers were hemp farmers. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, to name a few, grew hemp on their respective farms. Even Henry Ford had a hemp farm and actually built and constructed a car from hemp that was to run on hemp gasoline. The US government even once mandated that hemp be grown. Hemp was so valuable that taxes could be paid with this precious commodity.

The US now lags behind much of the industrialized world as hemp has been banned in America since the early1900’s. While hemp is legal to import, it still can’t be legally grown according to federal law. But many of the states have decided not to wait on congress to catch up to the desires of its constituents and have enacted their own laws allowing hemp to be grown. Colorado’s Amendment 64, for example, allows for the cultivation, processing, and sale of industrial hemp.

Industrial hemp is thought to be able to jump start the US economy. These assumptions are very plausible as imports from Canada and China are equal to $2 billion alone.

A bill seeking to distinguish hemp from marijuana is currently before congress. Hemp would be considered of the Cannabis sativa L. variety having of less than 0.3% of THC under H.R.525 – Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2013. For reference, quality marijuana is thought to have 14% to 20% concentrations of THC. The Congressional Research Service recently published Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity which is a “must read” for those interested in this subject.

Health & Medicinal Benefits

Research and clinical trials have shown the significant health and wellness benefits of the hemp plant and more directly CBD. Hemp is a completely digestible protein containing all ten of the essential amino acids.

Hemp is a rich source of phytosterols, phospholipids and chlorophyll containing calcium, sulfur, magnesium, potassium, zinc, sulfur, potassium and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D and E. The North American Industrial Hemp Council has stated that it also contains gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a difficult-to-obtain amino acid found in breast milk. The amino acid profiles are also thought to support immune cells.

Hemp oil contains the most essential fatty acids than any other plant. According to the Mayo Clinic, obtaining an adequate intake of the omega omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

RSHO is a natural concentration of these properties that extends the wellness attributes to the many medicinal prospects associated with CBD.

CBD provides for a host of benefits that includes chronic pain, anxiety, and inflammation. US Patent # 6,630,570 documents and attests to the validity of the medical benefits. This natural compound is even showing promise to be an effective anti-cancer drug.

Further, “Cannabidiol offers hope of a non-toxic therapy that could treat aggressive forms of cancer without any of the painful side effects of chemotherapy.”(Citation 1)

Dr. Sean McAllister’s lab also is analyzing how CBD works in combination with first-line chemotherapy agents. His research shows that Cannabidiol, a potent anti-tumoral compound in its own right, acts synergistically with various anti-cancer pharmaceuticals, enhancing their impact while cutting the toxic dosage necessary for maximum effect.

Conclusion

As I finalize this article on the 4^th of July, the United States Independence Day, a flag made of hemp is being flown of the US Capitol building. The Atlantic wire reports that is has been 80 year since a flag made of hemp flew over the Capitol. The site also has a neat map at the bottom that shows an animation of the progress of legalization across the states through the years. The map serves as a testimony to progress and inevitable success to be had by the advocates of the science of cannabis.

This is Part I of a three part series on Real Scientific Hemp Oil. Part II can be found here. Check back soon to learn more about this wonderful product.

Disclosure: I am long MJNA and this article was written on behalf of Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Citations