Source: pr.cannazine.co.uk
| Not so long ago any mention of the word 'cannabis' when selling a product or service was enough to send the prohibitionists running for the Daily Mail newsdesk phone number. But these days things are a little different, with the much maligned cannabis plant gaining recognition daily for its health and wellness benefits. | |
 | Companies who were forward-thinking enough to recognise the growing market in cannabis hemp products were keen to get involved in this new green gold rush. The problem was of course, the icon used to represent the cannabis plant. |
| Instantly recognisable: The fantastic Hemp Body Shop gift tin, available from bodyshop.co.uk | |
| The cannabis leaf has long been an emblem used by the far right conservative prohibitionists, to demonise a plant it sees as a real threat to the current 'status quo' maintained by large industries like oil, pharmaceuticals and alcohol. | |
| Why is that? In just one plant there is enough usable resources to put a real dent in the multi-trillion GB pound industries mentioned above. | |
| Cannabis hemp can create bio-degradeable plastics, it can replace oil based paints and resins, it can be used in the manufacture of sheer silk-like stockings and it can make military grade equipment webbing as used by the army the airforce and the navy. Thats without thinking of the damage it will do to the alcohol industry, being a far safer way of becoming recreationally intoxicated than drinking alcohol. For the pharmaceutical industry there exists the spectre of a long-term-safe pain reliever, anti-inflammatory as well as a substance which has been proven to reduce tumors by attacking cancerous cells whilst at the same time protecting healthy cells. And whilst its fair to suggest the industry which manages to haul cannabis in as a protected commodity is in the box seat to making an absolute fortune, there stands in the way one immovable fact. The problem with cannabis is anyone can grow it, and in just about any well ventilated space. So companies are loathe to invest in cannabis because they have no way of protecting those investments from hobby gardeners. Such is the reason GW Pharmaceuticals 'only' made £150 million last year peddling its cannabis plant extract 'Sativex'. So these days, in true imperialistic fashion we have tactical divisions of police officers in Ford Transit minibuses, driving round our council estates ready to kick the doors down of anyone who is even suspected of using cannabis. And with this type of attention hanging round its neck its fair to say getting involved with the cannabis leaf icon is just asking for trouble. But a number of high street brands are bucking this 'demonise cannabis' trend, by selling products manufactured from industrial hemp and using the cannabis leaf icon as the 'hook' which pulls the punters in. Notable users of the cannabis leaf icon include Body Shop , who sell a range of hemp products including a very collectable gift box made of aluminium with a large cannabis leaf embossed in the metal of the lid. PureSativa.Com , themselves no strangers to selling products with cannabis leaves on them sell a range of hard wearing hemp shopping bags, some of which wear the cannabis leaf icon with pride. There are of course the exceptions to the rule. You can buy a number of highly nutricious and beneficial hemp products on the Good Website (goodwebsite.co.uk ). Although the products are undeniably fantastic the manufacturers have decided to stay away from the cannabis leaf icon, so you wouldn't actually know their products contained hemp unless you read the label. Which is a shame. But with every high street retailer now selling hemp products, the demonisation of the cannabis leaf icon is at last being fought back against. So next time you're in your local Tescos, Asda or Sainsburys, see how many hemp products you can find. You may be pleasantly surprised. | |
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