Marc Emery (Prince of Pot) on 60 Minutes

Yahoo Canada ^ | March 2, 2006 | Camille Bains

[headsonpikes]

Pot crusader Marc Emery says his appearance on the news program 60 Minutes on Sunday will be an opportunity for Americans to see him as just an ordinary guy who regards himself as the Luke Skywalker against their government's Darth Vader tactics.

[Lady Jag]

Proof that a lie told often enough becomes the truth.

Ever since I started researching in preparation for the 60 Minutes Marc Emery segment, I have learned a ton. Thanks to you and a few other posters, there are facts out there, bloody hard to find, but they're there.

[mugs99]

bloody hard to find

It's a lot easier today than it was ten years ago. The info monopoly is crumbling.
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[Lady Jag]

It's a lot easier today than it was ten years ago.

Yes, I know. Back in the 60s, due to childhood experiences, I began researching marijuana and then, as you know that 70s legislation banned everything about pot, including library books! My main interest is history, so at that point I turned to prohibition and crooked laws.

A few weeks ago, a thread about 60 Minutes having Marc Emery on their show piqued my curiosity again and, thanks to you, a few other Freepers, and the WWW, I have read more than I'd ever imagine could be found. Ping me, I'm still absorbing.

[mugs99]

70s legislation banned everything about pot, including library books!

They even removed cannabis products from the museums. Early cannabis containers have become rare and very expensive.

Ping me, I'm still absorbing
Will do!
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[Lady Jag]

They even removed cannabis products from the museums

That's tantamount to Hitler's burning books!   Why all that for a weed so prolific that it will grow in a desert?   Could it be . . . money?

[mugs99]

Could it be . . . money?

Lot's of money! In the paper industry alone, cannabis would put the DuPont chemical process wood pulp mills out of business.
Hemp produces ten tons per acre in 4 months...That's 4 times the amount of paper per acre than 20 year old trees! Paper produced from wood pulp is toxic. Hemp paper is not. That's why hemp paper is still produced for coffee filters, tea bags and cigarette paper.
That's just the paper industry. Hemp kills the competition in textiles and chemicals too!
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[Lady Jag]

I've only read a little bit about hemp products, mostly read the legal and medical reports.

That must be why I saw the ads for rice paper, because that's non-toxic, too? One thing that bothered me is that claims of hemp's versatility make it sound like it's too good to be true. I've even seen hemp clothing, yet, it's hard to swallow when something that people practically claim is the answer to life, the universe and everything, or that it can be the best, most prolific paper on earth yet we're still cutting down trees...

[yeff]

oops, sorry...
In reviewing my recent posts, I found a broken link in post 249. Cut me some slack please, I'm kinda new at html.

Rotten Tomatoes is a good site for checking out a movie rating based on the combined opinions of many critics.
"Grass" has a 71% rating, pretty good on the tomatometer:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1097829-grass/

[mugs99]

That must be why I saw the ads for rice paper, because that's non-toxic, too?
Yes, but rice paper is more expensive and less durable than hemp.

I've even seen hemp clothing
Hemp is cheaper to grow than cotton. Hemp will grow in soils not rich enough to grow cotton. The yield is higher than cotton. Hemp does not require the chemical fertilizers and pesticides that cotton does. Hemp is stronger and more durable than cotton. Hemp does not mildew, cotton does. Levis were made from hemp before hemp was outlawed. That's why they lasted so long.
Hemp also outperforms the synthetics, such as nylon.

Hemp truly is a miracle plant. It has more uses than any other plant on the earth. It really boils down to industry. Synthetics are produced by industry, hemp is a farm product. Cotton production requires industrial chemicals for fertilizer and pesticide. Hemp does not. The government supports industry over farming. Industry contributes more money to politicians than farmers do.
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[getsoutalive]

It goes further than you can imagine. The link below goes to a famous player in the cannabis world. He even has a strain of plant named after him. He claims that by growing for seed, cannabis could COMPLETELY replace fossil fuels and is offering $100,000 to anyone that can refute his theory.

www.jackherer.com

[Lady Jag]

I ordered it, it's in its way.

[Lady Jag]

If it is such a miraculous plant, I would recommend that sites promoting it as such should make their argument look more serious. I was turned off by the unbusiness-like appearance of what I've seen so far.

[Lady Jag]

I'm looking at that site now. This guy adds even more info and common sense to what I've been reading. Ever since I got into this research for the 60 Minutes Marc Emery segment, I have been astounded at the amount of material available now. Twenty years ago, I couldn't find a book at the library! And all that did was remind me of the nightmare of book burning.

[mugs99]

I was turned off by the unbusiness-like appearance of what I've seen so far

That's because business and science are not promoting it. Farmers and mechanics are and they aren't as skilled in public relations as the corps...who don't want the competition from hemp. How many professionals would risk being labeled a "loserdopian" if they promoted hemp?

Henry Ford designed his Model T to run on hemp seed oil. Farmers during the depression ran their farm equipment on hemp seed oil because they couldn't afford petroleum.

The process to turn hemp seed oil into fuel is so simple it can be done at home. There's no commercial support for a low tech fuel. Refineries would lose business as farmers produced fuel on the farm.
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[Lady Jag]

Granted I've only been reading up on it for a week, but I've read a ton and there sure seems to be a lot of support for it these days.

Somebody must know how to mount a tasteful WWW argument for hemp products.

Hasn't Canada legalized the cultivation of hemp? Does that mean Canada doesn't think hemp products will interfere with other commercial entities like the paper companies and fuel suppliers?

[mugs99]

I don't think the corporate structure is as embedded in Canada as it is here. Hemp products don't compete with Canadian industry on a large enough scale. Canada can make more on their timber by manufacturing wood products and lumber than wood pulp for paper. We are invested heavily in wood pulp and chemicals.

Canada imports crude from the US, refines it and ships it back to us. The loss of this wouldn't be a big loss to them. They can meet their refinery and chemical industry needs from their own tar sands.

There will always be a demand for petroleum. Hemp fuel would just reduce the demand to the point that petroleum would be cheaper. Hemp fuel and gasoline would both be selling for under a buck a gallon.

That would result in lower profits for the oil companies and the Arabs, but would benefit consumers.
It's about money and politics. The high cost of fuel is driving up the cost of living. It will eventually reach the point where people will demand a change.
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[mugs99]

offering $100,000 to anyone that can refute his theory

It's interesting that not science, industry or individual has tried to collect that $100,000.
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[Lady Jag]

I don't think the corporate structure is as embedded in Canada

That's a whole new intriguing subject right there. Should I move to Canada or buy stock in Reynolds Aluminum?

It might not be a dominant fuel, but perhaps hemp fuel would find a profitable niche market and be ecologically better for boats and off-road vehicles.

[getsoutalive]

I have posted that link to a number of WOsD threads before and yours and Lady Jag's above, are the only replys it has ever generated. Even here no one tries to refute it.

[mugs99]

Even here no one tries to refute it

That's because Jack Herer is irrefutable! The drug warriors try to steer the debate away from hemp to the "evil of marijuana." Their propaganda targets emotional dupes.

Oh, and thanks for posting that link!
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