Source: forbes.com
It is on trend these days to support the growing marijuana business model. There are two parts of the discussion – medical marijuana that is now legalized in twenty-three states and the District of Columbia; as well as the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in four states. On CNN’s Weed 3: The Marijuana Revolution hosted by Sanjay Gupta M.D., President Obama reiterated that, “I’m on record as saying not only do I think carefully prescribed medical use of marijuana may in fact be appropriate and we should follow the science as opposed to ideology.”
On the business side, music legend Willie Nelson today announced plans to roll out his own brand of marijuana, Willie’s Reserve, in Colorado and Washington State, where recreational use of the drug is legal. In December, CNBC aired a special, Marijuana Country: The Cannabis Boom, hosted by Harry Smith, which gave us a look at the family run, six-year-old Medicine Man, Denver’s largest marijuana dispensary.
BERLIN – AUGUST 07: Demonstrators march in support of the legalization of marijuana in Germany during the annual Hemp Parade, or ‘Hanfparade’, on August 7, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. The consumption of cannabis in Germany is legal, though all other aspects, including growing, importing or selling it, are not. However, since the introduction of a new law in 2009, the sale and possession of marijuana for licenced medicinal use is legal. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
The question I have, is how all of this attention can help (and not over shadow) marijuana’s more nutritious cousin, hemp, to finally become a mainstream crop here in the United States. Twenty-two states have actually legalized industrial hemp farming as per Sec. 7606 of the Farm Bill. and the Industrial Hemp Farming Act introduced in both the House and the Senate in January of this year is encouraging more farmers to grow this very sustainable crop. In a climate that many including myself view as under siege, hemp restores nutrients to the soil via phytoremediation and does not require chemical pesticides or herbicides. In fact, George Washington grew hemp crops, as did Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on their lands.
In 2007, as food trends editor to NBC’s TODAY Show, I dubbed hemp as one of the hot food trends of 2007 (you can watch the episode here) and since that time the consumer interest in this crop has increased dramatically.
While our forefathers grew it for use in rope, canvas, fabric and paper, today hemp is even a more important ingredient in our move to consumer more nutritious foods. Hemp seeds are a rich source of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and other polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hemp actually has almost as much protein as soybeans and rich in Vitamin E along with a cadre of other beneficial minerals and have proven beneficial effects on our cardiovascular health. Which is why, in full disclosure, I became an advocate and supporter (unpaid) of Hemp History Week when it first launched in 2009.
Foods that contain hemp, many of which are imported from Canada where it is legal to grow industrial hemp, range from milks, tofu, yogurt, snack bars, granola, waffles, pancake mix, oatmeal, protein powder, oil, shakes as well as being sold as seeds that you can sprinkle on just about any food. In 2014, the Hemp Industry Association estimates that sales of hemp food and body care products topped $620 million and increased over 21% from the previous year.
For hemp foods to reach their potential it is important to discuss and separate the controversy over these two plants. It is true that both come from the same plant Cannabis sativa L. The important difference to note is that industrial hemp contains only less than 0.3% of Tetrahydrocannabinoids or THC (the ingredients that make a person high), while marijuana’s THC content can be 5-10% or more.
Expect to see a lot more headlines and discussion about legalizing marijuana especially as the presidential Campaigns gear up. It will be important for all of us to separate these two very different crops and not lose what could be one of agriculture’s most important and nutritious crops to misunderstanding and politics. Hemp History Week is June 1 through 7 and over 1,100 events throughout our country will encourage better understanding to our legislators and shoppers.
Phil is known as “The SupermarketGuru” and writes and reports on food trends. Check out SupermarketGuru.com for more insights into the world of food and his new food product reviews
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