Cannabis, also known as marijuana and other names, is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. For centuries, people have cultivated cannabis, coca and opium poppy for various purposes. Morphine drops are derived from the opium poppy and used in hospitals, cocaine is obtained from the coca plant and used in certain medical surgeries, and hemp products are obtained from the cannabis plant. While these plants have provided useful products, they are also among nature's most addictive and potentially deadly vegetation. This article provides an overview of these “three great addictive plants”.
Marijuana is derived from a plant called hemp, scientifically known as Cannabis sativa. The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC (short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is found in the leaves and flowering parts of the marijuana plant. Hashish is a substance extracted from the tops of female marijuana plants that contains the highest amount of THC. Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. Tasmania was the first to initiate modern research into the potential of cannabis by licensing hemp in the early 1990s.
Hemp plants can be vulnerable to several pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and other diverse pathogens. In the United Kingdom, cultivation licenses are issued by the Home Office under the Drug Abuse Act 1971. Hemp paper is a variety of paper made exclusively or largely from industrial hemp fibers. George Washington imported hemp plant from India for fiber production and some producers used it to produce intoxicating resin. The ban on marijuana imposed by the United States authorities is alien to Japanese culture since it has never been widely used there before. In addition to CO2 absorbed during its growth period, hemp is reused during concrete production.
Hemp insulation is naturally lightweight and non-toxic, allowing for exposed installation in a variety of spaces such as floors, walls and ceilings. The porous material of hemp insulation allows air and moisture to penetrate while maintaining its thermal properties. HEMP as a building construction material provides solutions to a variety of problems faced by today's building standards. Barber (199) argued that the spread of the name kannabis was due to its more recent use of plants starting in the south around Iran while THC-free hemp varieties are older and prehistoric. Many different stitches are used to create hemp jewelry but half knot and full knot stitches are the most common.
Manila is sometimes referred to as Manila hemp but it's not related to hemp; it's abaca, a type of banana. When oxidized (often mistakenly referred to as drying), hemp oil in seeds solidifies and can be used in oil-based paints production, as a moisturizing agent in creams, for cooking and in plastics production. During World War II, farmers in the United States were encouraged to grow hemp for string production instead of Manila hemp obtained from areas controlled by Japan. Hemp has been used for centuries for various purposes such as paper production, insulation material for buildings, jewelry making and oil production. It has also been used as an alternative to traditional building materials due to its lightweight and non-toxic properties. Hemp oil can be used in cooking, cosmetics production and plastics manufacturing.
Despite its potential benefits, hemp cultivation remains illegal in many countries due to its psychoactive properties.
