Hemp Lifeline To The Future Analysis

There is also a false narrative that Americans will suddenly lose their ambition and lust for consumerism if the drug war is ended. Remember, cocaine and heroin were sold over the counter for many decades, yet no economists have felt the need to examine any potential economic damage during that era. Whereas, the criminal justice system, in contrast, hurts the economy more than any “lazy stoner.” It is difficult to quantify the indirect economic consequences from the drug war. Yet, there is a misconception that the punishment for illegal drugs, in particular marijuana, is no longer oppressive. Yes, most states no longer punish people with over twenty years in prison for simple marijuana possession. Now, the penalty for simple possession, in …show more content…
It also requires much less land and water than most crops. Likewise, as the author of Hemp: Lifeline to the Future Chris Conrad says it’s also “self-seeding, self-fertilizing, and self-weeding.” In addition, hemp doesn’t require the harmful chemicals that most commercial products need and it actually aerates the soil while improving soil conditions for other crop rotations. Hemp provides an ideal for free market capitalism with a diversity of products and a theoretically limitless supply. Yet, ironically, hemp still has an extreme-left-wing-anti-capitalist …show more content…
Meanwhile, the list of other ways money could be invested, without legal roadblocks, is limitless. Likewise, investors in hemp basically have to be hemp enthusiasts. Take Mitt Romney for example. He used to run an investment firm, Bain Capital, but he drew a blank when he was questioned about industrial hemp during his 2012 presidential run. He responded, “Industrial hemp? I’m not quite sure what industrialized hemp is.” In short, the byproducts and benefits of hemp are endless, but its value is almost entirely untapped without investment.
The hemp industry isn’t truly allowed to compete in the American market. As a result, hemp commodity prices are artificially high and the crop has to be imported into the U.S. Federal regulations block U.S. farmers from producing hemp. These federal obstacles were cited by the former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, after he vetoed a successful bill for industrial hemp. “Unfortunately, I am very concerned that this bill would give legitimate growers a false sense of security and a belief that production of industrial hemp is somehow a legal activity under federal law,” said