If you think you are going to get high smoking hemp you are wrong. You will probably die of smoke inhalation before you get high. There was an interesting blog on Quora that you couldn’t get high even if you smoked a hemp joint the size of a telephone pole…I know, the thought causes weird images to pop up in your mind.
To begin with, think of Cannabis as a category and hemp and marijuana as two species within the cannabis category. That is where the similarity ends. Marijuana significant amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC- the stuff that gets you high) and low in Cannabidiol (CBD-the stuff that has a range of therapeutic claims). Hemp, on the other hand, is low in THC and high in CBD.
So if hemp doesn’t get you high, why is there only recently some movement towards legalization?
THE BACKGROUND
I first became interested in this area when I was hosting in Denver a very prominent former Korean National Assemblyman and he was fascinated with all the cannabis stores. He made me stop tour a shop. Let me tell you it gave me the willies trying to explain to the ID checker what was going on.
Over a few beers, the politician asked why hemp was illegal and I responded, it depends on where you are, etc., etc. He smiled and said his family used to grow a field of hemp for fabric, bags and rope. He winked and said it never got him high.
In the US, hemp was banned in 1937 and, as with all legislation, the passage was fraught with political, economic and just plain lack of awareness. I guess there wasn’t anything like a hemp lobbyist back in the 30’s.
Globally, dozens of countries allow hemp cultivation but, in the US, legalization at the federal level is just now seeing the reality of national acceptance. There probably still remains the fear that someone could smoke a hemp-sized telephone pole and descend into reefer inspired madness.
So with the inevitable passage of national legalization of hemp, what does that mean?
-A new and vibrant hemp and CBD inspired industry is emerging. The hemp derived CBD market is expected to be over $½ billion this year and Brightfield Group projects this industry to grow about 40x, or $22 billion by 2022.
For the consumer, besides, clothing and other functional items, hemp derived CBD products are being produced and ready for national rollout to promote the treatment of numerous maladies including: reducing anxiety; lowering blood pressure; and improving muscle recovery after exercise. My wife is a runner so I am going to use her as a guinea pig (sorry honey) to see if CBD helps her recovery after training.
One startup in California that I work on strategy with is Mantis Industries, LLC. Mantis has so far delayed its launch pending national regulations. Their CBD shot product is going to dive into the estimated $1.15 trillion beverage market- Mantis cbd™. I have to admit, I am partial to their video which is below:
As the regulators confer on national hemp regulation, a couple of things should be kept in mind:
(1) The reefer madness concern is just plain wrong.
(2) The positive therapeutic benefits of CBD needs to have increased medical studies.
(3) At a time when America needs to become more and more competitive and innovative, the passage of hemp legislation should promote and not unduly regulate this growing (no pun intended) industry.
* For further information contact me at: Sumihiroinvestments@gmail.com