Hemp History Week Celebration
Hempwise Fashion Show and Raffle
The local retailer Hempwise will be hosting a celebration of Hemp History week Saturday at its Isla Vista store. Starting at noon there will be live music, vendors, and a fashion show promoting the many uses of hemp in both beauty products and clothing.
Hemp has indeed had a long history in America’s agriculture starting in Jamestown in the 1600s, although currently farmers in the U.S. are not permitted to grow the plant without a permit from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Even though the part of the cannabis plant used as fiber has no drug value, and little to no amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 outlaws it’s production. A movement has grown up promoting hemp as a multipurpose, sustainable crop. According to the official Hemp History Week website, the market for hemp has grown exponentially in the past couple of years because of the plant’s wide versatility – ranging from its edible seeds that provide protein and the Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils; to hemp’s use in lotions, lip balms, and soaps; as an alternative to paper; and as a substitute for cotton, which according to the website accounts for nearly 25% of all pesticide use in the U.S.
Steve Levine, President of Hemp Industries Association, has lobbied for farmers’ rights to grow hemp and hopes that Hemp History Week will educate people as to its real value.
