Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The farm bill died, but hemp may live on

By Lydia DePillis
Source: washingtonpost.com


The House just got a little bit more hemp-friendly. (Creative Commons Attribution License)


The House is still shell-shocked from the unexpected failure of the Farm Bill last week–the kind of legislation that usually passes smoothly, but in our era of dysfunction, fell victim to a poison pill. As Brad notes, the options going forward include starting over entirely, or even going back to rules written in 1949.
There are a lot of big reasons to be troubled about this. But at least one thing happened during the writing of the final bill that should be cause for celebration: The House actually accepted an amendment allowing research on industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp, defined as a particular strain of cannabis with very low levels of THC, is produced in some 30 countries for use in a wide variety of fiber and textile products. But even though nine states have legalized its cultivation, U.S. law still treats it the same as marijuana, which means the Drug Enforcement Administration could throw you in jail for growing it. So the United States has been importing more and more hemp over the years from places like China and Canada–about $11.5 million worth in 2011, according to a March report, with a “highly dedicated and growing demand base.”
That didn’t used to be the case. The federal government encouraged the cultivation of hemp fiber during World War II, and it only fell out of favor as anti-drug sentiment rose, before being effectively banned in 1970. Now, it’s even illegal to grow the plant for research purposes without explicit permission from the DEA–which is where Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) came in.
Research is important. Without partnering with academic agronomists, it’s hard for farmers to know exactly how to grow an entirely new crop in a given region, and what kinds of yields they can expect. Earlier this year, Colorado State University was considering starting a research program on industrial hemp, but feared losing federal funding because of it. Polis tried to assure the school’s Board of Governors that everything would be okay, and encouraged them to seek a waiver from the DEA, which had granted one to the University of Hawaii back in 1999 (and three more since). But the Board wanted some certainty, so Polis introduced an amendment to the farm bill that would legalize cultivation in colleges and universities for research purposes.
Miraculously, despite last-minute lobbying against it from the DEA, the amendment passed by a vote of 225-200. In light of repeated failures of bills that would legalize industrial hemp production more broadly–one fizzled as an amendment to the Senate farm bill, and a House proposal has been moldering in a subcommittee since April–that’s the most significant sign of progress on the federal level that hemp advocates have ever seen.
It might have a second life sooner than the rest of the House Farm Bill. Polis wants to take that sign of goodwill and tack it on to “any other bill that is germane,” such as Agriculture appropriations, or on its own as a standalone bill. “When you have a Congressional majority on any issue, there are a variety of ways you can move forward,” Polis says.
After that’s taken care of–along with active support from the likes of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)–a law respecting states’ desires to allow hemp production within their own borders looks a little less outlandish.


‘We’re too stupid’ claims DEA in lobbying Congress

By Pete guither
Source: hawaiinewsdaily.com

The DEA is back to pushing against the bill to legalize hemp farming with a set of talking points, which mostly boils down to, as we’ve said here before, that law enforcement is too stupid to figure out the difference.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has kicked its lobbying against legalizing industrial hemp into high gear, hoping to block an amendment in the House that would decriminalize the crop for research purposes.[...]

The Huffington Post has obtained a copy of talking points the DEA is circulating among members of Congress to press them to oppose the amendment — raising the seemingly incongruous specter of the government using its resources to lobby itself.

The talking points, paradoxically, represent a step forward in the debate. In the Senate, hemp advocates were left only to counter vague “law enforcement concerns” that senators told HuffPost were a factor in their willingness to support reform. By laying out those specific reforms, hemp backers will attempt to rebut them point by point.

Broadly, the DEA’s case focuses on the supposed inability to easily distinguish between hemp and its cousin, marijuana. The similarity, the DEA argues, would allow pot growers to shield their plants behind rows of hemp plants. But the DEA appears not to have gotten the talk about the birds and the bees. [...]
The DEA also says that there’s already a system in place for growing industrial hemp…
The CSA permits the cultivation of cannabis for industrial purposes, provided the grower has obtained a DEA registration to do so.
Yeah, good luck getting one of those.

Update: Amendment #37 passed the House 225 to 200!

Further update: However, the farm bill itself didn’t pass. Good news is that when it does, better odds that this amendment will be able to ride with it.

By the way, in response to several commenters, my understanding is that this amendment actually bypasses the DEA approval process for university research purposes (someone correct me if I’m wrong).




House approves hemp cultivation in colleges, universities

By Pete Kasperowicz
Source: thehill.com

The House on Thursday morning approved a bipartisan amendment to the farm bill that would allow colleges and universities to grow and cultivate hemp for agricultural or academic research.

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and other sponsors of the bill said hemp is used industrially around the world and can be found in thousands of products, many of which are sold in the United States. Hemp is a variation of the cannabis plant that has far lower concentrations of the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana.

"Yet somehow, it's caught up in a completely unrelated drug war that prevents American farmers from growing this crop and forces us to import it from other countries," Polis said Wednesday. "Our institutions of higher education can't even grow or cultivate hemp for research purposes."

Polis said his amendment would only take effect in states that have authorized hemp cultivation, and stressed that "hemp is not marijuana."

An opponent of his language, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), said hemp production has been limited because it is difficult to distinguish it from the marijuana plant. "Even though the gentleman says hemp is not marijuana, I don't know if one can tell the difference when it's planted row by row out in the field," King said.

Late Wednesday, House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) said there has been some success splicing a gene into hemp plants that allow them to emit a fluorescent glow, making it easier to differentiate between it and marijuana.

"So now the hemp that grows is fluorescent, and so you can clearly tell the difference between the hemp and the marijuana," Peterson said. "So we have solved that problem through research."

The House approved the amendment from Polis and Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Tom Massie (R-Ky.) in a 225-200 vote. More than 60 Republicans supported it.

The proposal was one of several that the House considered in Thursday morning roll-call votes, from:

— Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), to terminate funding for the USDA's Emerging Markets Program after Sept. 30, 2013, saving $10 million per year. Failed, 103-322.

— G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), allowing people to buy personal hygiene items using SNAP benefits. Failed, 123-297.

— Tom Marino (R-Pa.), establishing a pilot program in nine states in which the Government Accountability Office can collect data on how food stamps are being used. Failed, 79-346

— David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), eliminating the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Failed, 194-232.

— John Tierney (D-Mass.), allowing commercial fishermen to receive Emergency Disaster Loan funds. Failed, 211-215.

Lab Testing Reveals EnviroTextile's Hemp Fabric Stops the Spread of Staph Bacteria

Press Release
Source: digitaljournal.com

Glenwood Springs, CO (PRWEB) June 20, 2013

Rampant staph infections continue to cost lives unnecessarily. One powerful weapon to fight this scourge is being successfully deployed by China's military: industrial hemp. Staph is spread by direct contact and by touching items that are contaminated such as towels, sheets, privacy curtains, and clothing. As noted by the San Francisco Chronicle, “It is estimated that each year 2 million Americans become infected during hospital stays, and at least 90,000 of them die. MRSA (an antibiotic resistant strain of staph) is a leading cause of hospital-borne infections.” One of the most important recent discoveries is hemp’s ability to kill surface bacteria, while cotton, polyester, and polyethelene allow it to remain on their surfaces for up to months at a time.

Unknown to many, hemp fabrics exist in today’s market that can replace each of these transmission prone hospital items. Technological improvements for hemp textile development began in the early 90s when EnviroTextile’s lead textile engineer, Barbara Filippone, began working with hemp in China. To date, the company has over 100 hemp and hemp blended fabrics available to suit any traditional fabric application. In addition to staph resistance, other tests show hemp fabrics superior resistance to UV and infrared wavelengths, providing multiple applications for military use.

Hemp fabric was tested against two bacteria strains, Staphylococcus Aureus (staph) and Klebsiella Pneumoniae (pneumonia). The fabric tested was a hemp blend, 60% hemp and 40% rayon. The staph test sample was already 98.5% bacteria free during the first measurement of the testing, while the pneumonia fabric sample was 65.1% bacteria free. These results, even prior to the tests completion, clearly display the fabrics unique capability at killing bacteria and reducing their spread. This is especially imperative for healthcare facilities.
For infrared testing, the same hemp blend was analyzed resulting in a test result of 0.893, or nearly 90% resistant. Different blended fabrics have the potential to increase the percentage of this initial test, especially fabrics with a higher percentage of hemp. Many of hemp’s applications will benefit our military, and EnviroTextile’s hemp fabrics have recently been approved by the USDA as Federally Preferred for Procurement under their BioPreferred Program.

Thirty one states have introduced pro-hemp legislation and 19 have passed pro-hemp legislation. The potential for military and national adoption of hemp appears to be moving forward expeditiously considering a decade’s long ban. As science continues to “rediscover” the benefits of hemp for society, the solution is emerging from the fog of prohibition. Hemp is no longer an ancient fiber and it is well on its way to be the future of fabric.

EnviroTextiles is woman-owned industrial hemp and natural fiber manufacturing company with their headquarters in Glenwood Springs, CO, and is the largest manufacturer/importer of hemp and natural fiber textiles and products in the United States. EnviroTextiles proudly sells their products in the U.S. and to over 70 countries worldwide. The company presently has their presence in the US, China, and Mexico, and focuses on natural fiber resources and economic development in regions with commodity levels of various natural fibers.

References:
1.    Survival of Enterococci and Staphylococci on Hospital Fabrics and Plastic - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC86187/
2.    San Francisco Chronicle, “HEALTH / High staph infection rates in hospitals stun public health officials / New study reports lethal drug-resistant bacteria widespread” - http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/HEALTH-High-staph-infection-rates-in-hospitals-2554708.php

For more information please contact:
EnviroTextiles, LLC
Email: info(at)envirotextile(dot)com
Phone: (970) 945-5986
Website: http://www.EnviroTextile.com
3214 South Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Investment Relations: dan(at)envirotextile(dot)com


DEA Wages Hemp War Behind The Scenes In House

By Ryan Grim
Source: huffingtonpost.com

dea hemp
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) has proposed legalizing industrial hemp for research -- a measure 
the DEA is lobbying against in Congress. (AP)


The Drug Enforcement Administration has kicked its lobbying against legalizing industrial hemp into high gear, hoping to block an amendment in the House that would decriminalize the crop for research purposes.
The amendment to the farm bill, proposed by Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), is far more modest than a Senate effort by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to fully legalize the crop for industrial purposes. That measure never found its way into the Senate version of the bill. The House may vote on Polis' amendment as soon as Tuesday evening.
The Huffington Post has obtained a copy of talking points the DEA is circulating among members of Congress to press them to oppose the amendment -- raising the seemingly incongruous specter of the government using its resources to lobby itself.
The talking points, paradoxically, represent a step forward in the debate. In the Senate, hemp advocates were left only to counter vague "law enforcement concerns" that senators told HuffPost were a factor in their willingness to support reform. With the DEA laying out those specific concerns, hemp backers will attempt to rebut them point by point.
Broadly, the DEA's case focuses on the supposed inability to easily distinguish between hemp and its cousin, marijuana. The similarity, the DEA argues, would allow pot growers to shield their plants behind rows of hemp plants. But the DEA appears not to have gotten the talk about the birds and the bees. A pot grower who allowed hemp plants near a prized marijuana crop would risk cross-pollination, which would result in a dramatically inferior product. In fact, California pot growers have been avid opponents of legalized hemp for just that reason.
Hemp is legal to grow in many industrialized countries, including Canada, and is legal to import into the U.S. States such as Polis' Colorado and McConnell's Kentucky have legalized hemp growing, but await federal action.
Talking points from hemp advocates can be found here. The Senate bill was cosponsored by McConnell and Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) andRon Wyden (R-Ore.).
Below are the talking points circulated by the DEA on Wednesday: 
The amendment (Polis) relates to marijuana (hemp) cultivation for industrial purposes. Marijuana (hemp) cultivation is already permitted under current law, provided the grower has obtained a DEA registration. This bill would eliminate the DEA registration requirement and completely decontrol marijuana grown for industrial purposes by defining "hemp" as marijuana that contains 0.3 percent or less THC, then declaring this "hemp" to be a noncontrolled substance. This would clearly impede law enforcement in several respects. First, it is impossible to distinguish a marijuana plant containing 0.3% or less of THC from a marijuana plant containing higher THC levels without scientific analysis. The bill would thereby make it essentially impossible for law enforcement to enter a grow site to determine the THC content of the "hemp" plants since there would be no way to establish probable cause to obtain a search warrant without first entering the premises to collect samples. As a result, the bill would provide easy cover to hide more potent marijuana plants. Second, even if all the marijuana plants contained 0.3 percent or less THC, they would still provide an enormous quantity of psychoactive material because it is very easy and inexpensive to convert low-grade marijuana into high-grade hashish oil. YouTube videos already provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to make hashish oil.

Listed below are talking points on the issue.

Hemp Talking Points 

What is "hemp"?
"Hemp" is not a term found in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Historically, "hemp" was simply an alternative term used to refer to the cannabis plant (i.e., an alternative to the Spanish-derived term "marihuana"). However, starting in approximately the late 1990s, the term "hemp" increasingly was used to refer specifically to cannabis grown for industrial purposes. (The term "industrial hemp" is also used in this context.) During this time period, some persons have erroneously asserted that "hemp" was a distinct species from marijuana. Botanically speaking, any plant of the genus "cannabis" constitutes marijuana under the CSA -– regardless of whether the plant is referred to as "hemp," "marijuana," or any other name. 

Does "hemp" have different psychoactive properties than marijuana?
The psychoactive properties of a given cannabis plant will depend on the chemical makeup of the plant -– not the name (e.g., "marijuana" or "hemp") that the grower assigns to the plant. The cannabis plant contains roughly 500 different chemicals. The primary psychoactive chemical found in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinols (THC). Another chemical found in marijuana is cannabidiol (CBD). Among the primary factors that determine the psychoactive properties of a cannabis plant are (1) the amount of THC in the plant and (2) the ratio of THC to CBD in the plant. To oversimplify what is a complex scientific consideration, it is generally the case that the greater the percentage of THC in the plant, the greater the psychoactive effect. However, there is no established minimum threshold amount of THC that a cannabis plant must contain to produce a psychoactive effect. Moreover, the amount of THC that will cause a psychoactive effect will vary among individual users.

Cannabis grown for industrial purposes does, generally, have a lower THC content than cannabis grown for smoking. However, from a scientific perspective, there is no maximum or minimum amount of THC that will necessarily be contained in a cannabis plant grown for industrial purposes. The genetic makeup of the plant and the environmental conditions in which it is grown will dictate THC content.

For what purposes is "industrial hemp" grown?
In broadest terms, there are two general categories of "industrial" products that are made from the cannabis plant: fiber-derived products and seed-derived products. From the fiber of the plant, one can produce textiles and paper products. The seeds of the plant can be pressed into oil, which is used as additive in food and beverage products. (It should be noted that the FDA has expressly declined to recognize "hemp seed oil" as generally recognized as safe.) The oil from the seeds is also used as an ingredient in personal care products such as soaps, lotions, and shampoos. Cannabis seeds can also be used in bird feed.

Is it legal to grow "hemp" in the United States? 
The CSA permits the cultivation of cannabis for industrial purposes, provided the grower has obtained a DEA registration to do so. This requirement applies with respect to all cannabis plants, regardless of the THC content. Every federal court that has examined this issue has so ruled. Monson v. DEA, 589 F.3d 952 (8th Cir. 2009); United States v. White Plume, 447 F.3d 1067 (8th Cir. 2006); New Hampshire Hemp Council v. Marshall, 203 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2000). To obtain such a registration, an applicant must demonstrate, among other things, that it will install security measures consistent with the requirements set forth in the DEA regulations.

Does a "hemp" plant with low THC content present any real concerns?
It is true that, if given a choice, marijuana smokers will seek cannabis with a relatively high THC concentration over the type of cannabis typically grown for industrial purposes. However, as indicated, there is no guarantee that a cannabis plant grown for industrial purposes will not cause a psychoactive effect when smoked. Indeed, there have been reported thefts from "industrial hemp" grow facilities. More significantly, even those cannabis plants that have a relatively low THC concentration provide a substantial source of psychoactive material that would be readily exploited by drug seekers if such plants could be easily acquired. Using a relatively simple and inexpensive process of chemical extraction, low grade cannabis (including so-called "industrial hemp") can be readily converted into a highly potent concentrate known as "hash oil." Anyone can learn how to make hash oil by watching instructional videos on YouTube. 

Indeed, the illicit production of hash oil appears to be a growing and dangerous trend in the United States, and poses a significant harm to our communities and the environment. Just recently, on February 7, 2013, the U.S. Fire Administration (a component of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) issued a bulletin entitled "Hash Oil Explosions Increasing Across U.S." In this bulletin, which is available atwww.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/emr-isac/infograms/ig2013/6-13.shtm#1, the U.S. Fire Administration stated, among other things, that explosions in residences and hotels are being traced back to the production of hash oil using butane and that the number of these incidents appears to be increasing.

Can one tell "industrial hemp" and marijuana apart?
It can be extremely difficult to distinguish cannabis grown for industrial purposes from cannabis grown for smoking. This is especially true if law enforcement is attempting to make this determination without entering the premises on which the plants are being grown. 
It should be noted here that "hemp" grown to produce seeds will appear different from "hemp" grown to produce fiber. Plants grown to produce fiber may (depending on the stage of growth) appear taller and stalkier. In contrast, plants grown to produce seeds may appear bushy and thus more difficult to distinguish from plants for smoking. 

As for the THC content of a cannabis plant, this is impossible to determine without performing a chemical analysis of the particular plant. Further, the THC content can vary significantly from plant-to-plant within a given grow site, meaning that testing one plant cannot be relied upon to prove the THC content of neighboring plants.


Five Ways to Get Protein Without Eating Meat

By Marni Wasserman
Source: huffingtonpost.ca

Though you have been conditioned to think otherwise, there are many ways to get protein without turning to meat! Many people think that just because I am vegetarian that I am not getting enough protein. In fact, I am actually getting better quality protein than I ever did eating animal-based foods.
Plant protein is often deemed inferior to animal protein because it is labelled as an incomplete protein. Combining even a few plant proteins creates a complete protein that the body easily digests. Plant based proteins unlike animal proteins do not place a burden on the kidneys or liver. They are easy to assimilate and help to build muscles and tissues readily and efficiently.
There is an assortment of high protein plant sources available including: hemp, sprouts, protein powder, tempeh, and quinoa. Similar to animals, humans may also get adequate protein from plant sources. The good news is that these proteins are easy to digest and the body uptakes them very well making them an efficient and effective source of protein.
Here are my top five types of protein sources:
Quinoa - Quinoa is not only a high source of protein, but it is also considered a complete protein as it contains all of the essential amino acids. Quinoa is an amazing option for breakfast porridge, lunch salads or dinner pilafs. Try this refreshing Quinoa Tabbouleh salad.
Hemp - Hemp seeds are also considered a complete source of protein, which is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Hemp's nutritional profile is remarkable containing 36 per cent protein. In addition to its great source of protein, hemp also contains the exact ratio of healthy fats that the body needs for optimal health. Try this hemp seed salad for an extra boost!
Protein Powder - A plant-based protein powder is an easy and delicious way to get a healthy intake of protein. Chose a sprouted brown rice powder for maximum grams of absorbent and digestible protein. You can include protein powder in a morning smoothie, berry bowl, or even a power shake post workout.
Tempeh - Tempeh, increasing in popularity, is a fermented version of tofu. It has a unique nutty flavour, and is much denser than tofu resulting in a more satisfying meal choice. Tempeh adapts the flavours of other foods and marinades making it easy to incorporate into many dishes. Check out how you can grill tempeh just in time for summer BBQs here!
Sprouts - Sprouts are full of essential nutrients that support optimal health. When something is sprouted its nutritional value doubles. The process of sprouting seeds increases the quality of nutrients such as protein. Sprouts are an amazing item to incorporate into your diet. Not to mention they are low in calories and fat, and they are rich sources of vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants and protein.


How to be a part-time vegetarian ... and like it

By Randy Shore
Source: windsorstar.com

Lola Rosa Park, a vegetarian restaurant is featured.The Hemp burger is made with hemp seeds, lentils, avocado, tomato, and homemade BBQ sauce.With the burger is served , chickpeas fries with vegan mayo and coleslaw.
A vegetarian meal featuring hemp burger, made with hemp seeds, 
lentils, avocado, tomato, and homemade BBQ sauce, and chick-
peas fries with vegan mayo and coleslaw.

Do vegetarian meals leave you feeling a little empty? Does the idea of Meatless Monday simply leave you wishing for Chicken Tuesday?

You are not alone.

But since the City of Vancouver issued an official proclamation declaring June 10 Meatless Monday, you may be wondering how to become a part-time vegetarian either for your health or as a small contribution to global environmental sustainability.

I am transitioning myself to a more-plant-less-meat diet after a jarring set of blood tests.
I once spent about two years as a vegetarian, but that was 25 years ago and it was easy then because I had no money.

This is different.

Dabbling in vegetarianism is like quitting smoking; it often takes more than one try and you have to work at it.

“This is my fourth time trying vegetarian,” admitted dietitian and author Gloria Tsang, an ovo-lacto vegetarian. (She eats eggs and dairy products, but not animals.) “I tried first when I was in high school, two years in university and then again when I got braces in my 20’s,” she said. “I started again this year, partly because of religion, since I am a Buddhist.”

Only on this last effort did Tsang shake the craving for meat. She learned to take small steps and plan her menu carefully to avoid being unnecessarily hungry. “Becoming a part-time vegetarian is the perfect midway step to trying meatless eating,” said Tsang. “People try to do too much at once and it doesn’t work out. You have to find a way that you can stick to.” “Choose one day a week or one meal a day to go meatless,” she advised.

Tsang started with lunch, usually vegetables and grains left over from last night’s dinner and an added protein, such as a handful of nuts. Dinner is harder. During the day you can distract yourself from hunger with work, but that is usually not the case in the evening.

Here are some tips that might help you succeed.

Meat substitutes
I worry that a food that promises to be meat, but isn’t, will be disappointing for many people. I prefer to eat vegetarian dishes that aren’t pretending to be anything else.

But vegetarian burger patties, hotdogs, cutlets, tofurky and soy-based ground meat-like proteins are popular. The North American market for soy-based foods has increased about 400 per cent in 15 years, to more than $5 billion annually.

Gardein is a local company that makes a large variety of meat substitutes in the familiar form of chicken breasts, red meat skewers, rib patties and even pulled pork.

There are two schools of thought on these products. Salim Jamal, owner of the New Westminster-based vegan café and emporium Karmavore, says meat substitutes are ”great transitional foods.”

Tsang worries that the high sodium levels in many products are simply exchanging one problem for another.

“If you want to improve your health you have to avoid highly processed foods,” she said, emphasizing a key message of her book, Go Undiet. “Don’t go looking for meat flavour and texture, you should learn to enjoy the flavour and texture of plant-based foods.”

Jamal likes to make large mushrooms — such as porcinis — the focus of a meal for their chewy texture and robust flavour.

Don’t forget protein
My wife’s brain is wired to experience hunger and anger together, so meatless meals are a minefield. Fullness must be achieved and preferably be long-lasting.

“One of the main complaints I hear about vegetarian eating is people, especially men, don’t feel full,” Tsang said. “Being vegetarian is more than just eating vegetables.”

Simply taking the chicken out of your chicken stir-fry is a recipe for disaster. Supplement grains and vegetables with nuts and seeds to add protein and promote satiety.

“If you go to T&T Market there are at least 20 kinds of tofu,” Tsang said. Tofu can be gelatinous and slurpy or fried and fluffy, while others are crisp and chewy. Many are soft enough to eat like yogurt or mix into a smoothie.

Tempeh is a firm soy-, bean- or grain-based cake that can be sliced and baked or fried and generally treated like a cutlet without being much like meat.

Don’t forget fat, too
A dinner without meat often means a lower fat content, which will almost ensure you will be ravenous before you get to bed, let alone to sleep.

Fats are a long-burning fuel and essential to good health. Research suggests that it’s better for your health to add good fats than trying to go low-fat. Simply replacing some of the fat you were getting from meat with olive oil, fish, nuts, seeds and avocados should be a net benefit.

You could include oily fish such as salmon as a meatless option, depending on how you define meat.

If you take the meat out of a stir-fry, replace it with cashews, Jamal suggested. The current scientific consensus is that walnuts are the healthiest option, but mix it up if they aren’t your favourite. Pecans, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds are great, too.

A vegetable-based pasta dish with mushrooms or garden vegetables such as chard or zucchini will keep you full longer if you drizzle good quality extra virgin olive oil over top.

Adopt an ethnic cuisine
If we are just talking about going meatless one day a week, why not distract yourself and call it Chinese Night or Indian Night, or my new favourite, Turkish Night?

Asian eating traditions lend themselves naturally to meatless meals. In much of the world a meal with meat remains the exception rather than the rule. Indian and Chinese cuisine have thousands of vegetable-based dishes to choose from. India and Turkey lean very heavily on high-protein legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas.

Kofta are meatless meatballs served from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Bengal, containing everything from cracked grain, nuts, seeds, shredded vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, legumes, squash or any combination of the above.

At the very least, Meatless Monday is an excuse to buy a new cookbook.

What about grains?
Whole grains that are high in fibre and protein will keep you full longer than traditional starches such as white rice, potatoes, pasta or most breads.

Quinoa is widely available and is no more difficult to cook than rice. It takes on flavours like a champion.

Bulgur is cracked durum wheat that makes a nice base for a kofta, a salad, such as tabbouleh, a stuffing or you can use it as a thickener for a hearty soup.

Farro is the whole grain of emmer wheat. It’s a bit tough to find, but the nutty flavour and chewy texture make the search worthwhile. It can form the base for a fluffy grain side dish, like rice, a salad or a baked dish with sauce.

Millet is widely consumed just about everywhere in the world except North America, but it is enjoying a bit of a comeback as part of the gluten-free cooking trend. Ground, it is often used like flour, but whole millet can also be baked in puddings, cakes and breads.

Barley and oatmeal are the least glamorous foods I can think of. That said, barley makes a fine risotto and oatmeal for breakfast does stick to your ribs with none of the unhealthy baggage of bacon. (Try not to think of bacon while eating oatmeal, it won’t make you happy.)



Sunday, June 23, 2013

Remembering The Godfather Of The Hemp Revolution: Jack Herer

Source: the420times.com



“If you substitute marijuana for tobacco and alcohol, you’ll add eight to 24 years to your life.” – Jack Herer
As we enjoy the incredible momentum within the cannabis law reform movement, it’s important to remember one of the founders of the movement. It’s hard to imagine being where we are today without the life and work of Jack Herer.
A longtime activist and champion of hemp, Jack wrote The Emperor Wears No Clothes, which was published in 1985 and has sold over 600,000 copies to date. The book chronicles that many uses of hemp and the story of why it was outlawed in the first place, along with its cannabis cousin, marihuana. It even provides a history of hemp and its long-standing place in society, especially in the first 150 years of the U.S. being a country.
Hemp has so many uses, Jack wrote a whole book about them, so for us to try and fit that in to a magazine article would be futile. So here is one excerpt from Jack’s book, focusing on how hemp can save our forests.
“In 1916, USDA Bulletin No. 404 reported that one acre of cannabis hemp,” Jack wrote, “in annual rotation over a 20-year period, would produce as much pulp for paper as 4.1 acres of trees being cut down over the same 20-year period. This process would use only 1/7 to 1/4 as much polluting sulfur-based acid chemicals to break down the glue-like lignin that binds the fibers of the pulp, or even none at all using soda ash. All this lignin must be broken down to make pulp. Hemp pulp is only 4-10% lignin, while trees are 18-30% lignin. The problem of dioxin contamination of rivers is avoided in the hemp papermaking process, which does not need to use chlorine bleach (as the wood pulp papermaking process requires), but instead substitutes safer hydrogen peroxide in the bleaching process.
“Thus, hemp provides four times as much pulp with at least four to seven times less pollution.”
But instead of American farmers growing hemp – a crop grown by several U.S. Presidents – companies in this country have been forced to import hemp from other countries for decades.
“The only dead bodies from marijuana are in the prisons and at the hands of the police. This is ridiculous.” – Jack Herer
The 420 Times spoke with Jack’s widow, Jeannie, who met him in 1994. She said Jack would talk about hemp everywhere he went, and she still hears from many whose lives Jack touched. “People contact me all the time to tell me how much he meant to them,” she said. “I always love to hear it.”
And if Jack were alive today, what would he think of the cannabis law reform movement? “If he were alive today,” Jeannie told us, “I’m sure he’d be happy about Washington and Colorado, but not the DUI part. He’d be trying really hard to get his own initiative on the ballot. It was super important to him that we get all the people out of jail/prison who are in there for non-violent pot offenses.”
“Growing hemp as nature designed it is vital to our urgent need to reduce greenhouse gases and ensure the survival of our planet.” – Jack Herer
Every movement has icons that continue to be leading figures long after they pass; for the hemp movement, that icon is undoubtedly Jack Herer, as he is for the cannabis law reform movement as a whole. The successes these movements are enjoying would not be possible without Jack.
So thank you Jack, from all of us who continue to try and make your vision come true. The final goal is in sight.
Freedom is coming.




DEA Wages Behind The Scenes War Against Hemp Legalization

Source: the420times.com

DEA badge C DEA Wages Behind The Scenes War Against Hemp Legalization
Apparently the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) newest mission is to insure that members of Congress are aware about their idea of the facts regarding the legalization of hemp. The DEA is spreading propaganda throughout Congress in hopes of brainwashing members to vote in opposition of re-legalizing the cultivation of hemp in the United States.
Our friends at the Huffington Post has acquired a copy of the faux facts talking points regarding hemp that the DEA has taken upon themselves to circulate which raises the ostensibly absurd possibility of the government using its capitals to lobby itself.
Here are just a few of the outrageously asinine talking points that were circulated by the DEA:
The amendment (Polis) relates to marijuana (hemp) cultivation for industrial purposes. Marijuana (hemp) cultivation is already permitted under current law, provided the grower has obtained a DEA registration. This bill would eliminate the DEA registration requirement and completely decontrol marijuana grown forhemp1 DEA Wages Behind The Scenes War Against Hemp Legalizationindustrial purposes by defining “hemp” as marijuana that contains 0.3 percent or less THC, then declaring this “hemp” to be a non-controlled substance.
This would clearly impede law enforcement in several respects. First, it is impossible to distinguish a marijuana plant containing 0.3% or less of THC from a marijuana plant containing higher THC levels without scientific analysis. The bill would thereby make it essentially impossible for law enforcement to enter a grow site to determine the THC content of the “hemp” plants since there would be no way to establish probable cause to obtain a search warrant without first entering the premises to collect samples.
As a result, the bill would provide easy cover to hide more potent marijuana plants. Second, even if all the marijuana plants contained 0.3 percent or less THC, they would still provide an enormous quantity of psychoactive material because it is very easy and inexpensive to convert low-grade marijuana into high-grade hashish oil. YouTube videos already provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to make hashish oil.
Oy vey, bust out the full body propaganda bullshit protection suits and industrial strength brainwashing protection spray! Is this what the DEA was created to do, convince Congress that a plant dedicated for industrial and commercial uses is a dangerous drug that should remain illegal? We as a nation can’t allow this activity to continue. It is situations like this that prove how important becoming actively involved can be in order to hold these governmental asses accountable.
If you want the lies to end you must be the change. Stay tuned to The 420 Times for any updates regarding this political travesty and for all your marijuana community news.


  • Avatar
    MeeMan  2 days ago
    The UK and Canada have been growing industrial hemp for years, without incident, and the USA is one of the largest buyers of it.
    So what is the DEA's problem?
    Oh wait... money and power... just like every USA Dept.
  • Avatar
    Steve Harris  18 hours ago
    The DEA wants to keep hemp and marijuana illegal forever. It keeps people in the private prisons and ALOT of money in BOTH of their pockets!!