Happy 420! One love

We Need Change

       In today’s chaotic world, there are many things that need changed, reconstructed, and fixed. From the number of people without jobs and the number of children who grow up in poverty, to the fluoride in the water and the fact that our country allows genetically modified foods to remain unlabeled; there is so much at stake that people do not even seem to realize it.

       The first step I would take to creating a positive change would be to decriminalize and legalize all hemp and marijuana plants, and I would make it an open market, making it possible for many people to create an abundance of things to sell and profit from. Secondly, along with the legalization of all hemp and marijuana plants, I would enact a foreign policy that mandated US corporations back to United States soil, forfeiting corporations their cheap labor, and giving the millions of Americans their jobs back that were taken from them by the hands of their own greedy government. Thirdly, I would make sure that no child was left hungry, sad, or alone, and I would completely reconstruct the entire educational system.

       Hemp is one of the world’s oldest, most durable, and most versatile crops, with more than 25,000 known uses. It’s fibers are stronger than cotton and wood. Hemp is an annual plant, meaning that it produces every year. “It takes years for trees to grow until they can be harvested for paper or wood, but hemp is ready for harvesting only 120 days after it is planted. Hemp can grow on most land suitable for farming, while forests and tree farms require large tracts of land available in few locations. Harvesting hemp rather than trees would also eliminate erosion due to logging, thereby reducing topsoil loss and water pollution caused by soil runoff.” Annually, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much paper as 2 to 4 acres of trees. Could you imagine how many trees we could leave standing, how many animals we could save? Hemp can be used to make clothing, shoes, paper (more durable than tree paper), canvas, carpeting, rope, bags, luggage, home furnishings, construction materials, biodegradable plastics, food, and even auto parts. (Hemp Basics, 2013)

       While 1 in every 6 Americans deal with hunger as a daily fear, and most of those numbers being children, it is time that leaders of a democratic country and it’s blindsighted people need to focus on what matters. With a federal government that spends trillions a year on militarism, war, and occupying other countries simply for the oil and other resources, I find it sickening and saddening that people are not turning toward solutions that are safe for both humans and the environment. (Feeding America, 2013)

       Hemp seeds are one of the most nutritional seeds known to man. They have an excellent source of protein as well as many vitamins and minerals. The greatest health benefit it that it contains both essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed in the human diet, linoleic (omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). These amino acids are essential to humans because our body does not manufacture them, and so we must consume them as food. Hemp seeds have no toxicity level, and they can be used to add protein to nearly all products made by the soybean, such as tofu, veggie burgers, butter, cheese, salad oils, ice cream, milk, etc. You can also grind hemp seeds down into a flour, easily adding it’s high nutritional content to any baked goods such as cookies, pastas, cakes, breads, etc. (“Hemp health benefits,” 2013) (Hemp Basics, 2013)

       Essential fatty acids benefit many aspects of our health. There are many studies that have shown that switching from saturated fats for polyunsaturated fats, such as those from hemp, can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and fatal cardiac arrhythmia, as well as reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease the the buildup in arteries that is associated with atherosclerosis, which is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. (“Hemp health benefits,” 2013)

       Since EFAs make up a lot of our brain, hemp seeds have been shown to be especially beneficial to brain health, particularly memory function. In diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, brain tissue loss of EFAs have been strongly associated. EFAs are also good for the skin, and so they have been shown to help conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Hemp oils are special because the way it’s lipids are organized, it permeates through the skin and nourishes skin cells more directly. These oils can also make a number of natural-care products such as shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lip balms, lotions, sun-care products, among many other things. Hemp legalization could open a market for many people to produce and sell different kinds of hemp-made products, creating a personal profit, opening many kinds of new markets and economic expansion, as well as benefiting human health in a way that is more natural, which is the most important thing of all. (“Hemp health benefits,” 2013)

       Along with the benefits that the legalization of hemp could bring to both humans and the environment, the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana could hold just as many benefits. There are many prominent and horrifying diseases that the consummation and inhalation of marijuana and it’s cannabinoids have been scientifically proven to help; alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life for countless people suffering from countess diseases and illnesses. There are so many people who could be helped by marijuana, without the THC or ‘high’ effect, and they do not even know it. Sadly, this is because their government, heavily funded by the pharmaceutical companies, hides this information from them. (National Cancer Institute, 2013)

       According to a study that has been done by the National Cancer Institute: Over a 2 year long study, mice and rats were given various doses of THC. As a result of these doses of THC, the rats demonstrated a decrease in hepatic adenoma tumors (benign tumors of the liver), as well as hepatocellular carcinoma (cancer of the liver). (National Cancer Institute, 2013)

       As well as the decrease in both benign and cancerous tumors of the liver, the mice also demonstrated decreased incidences of benign tumors in other organs,such as the mammary glands, uterus, pituitary, testis, and pancreas. In other studies, other tumor growth has been inhibited by Cannabinoids as well. (National Cancer Institute, 2013) These studies indicate that cannabinoids can cause anti-growth effects to tumors that are both benign, as well as cancerous, by different methods: induction of cell death (causing the cells to die), inhibition of cell growth (keeping the tumor or cells from growing and spreading), as well as others. (National Cancer Institute, 2013)       

      Although these studies indicate that cannabinoids kill tumor cells, they have shown that these cannabinoids do not cause any damage or cell death to thehealthy, surrounding cells, and that they may even protect these cells from dying. (National Cancer Institute, 2013)

       Cannabinoids have also been studied to see if they demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects (pain relief), in particular for colon cancer. Mice were used, and as a result of these studies: The National Cancer Institute formulated the hypothesis that phytocannabinoids (produced by the cannabis Indica and cannabis Sativa plant species) and endocannabinoids (produced naturally in humans and animals) just may be helpful in not only reducing the risk of colon cancer, but also assisting in an effective treatment. (National Cancer Institute, 2013)

       Because so many children live in poverty and do not have enough to eat, there are many ways hemp seeds and food could be used to nourish these children, as well as children all over the world, cheaply and quickly. Also, I do not feel the current educational systems are doing their true duty, which is to educate people. Instead, I feel as though the educational system does a fantastic job into preparing humans for a scripted and robotic life. I feel as though young adults are robbed of their time and money while going through high school and college, and I wish I could have skipped past it all and attended a technical school. The educational system is 75% a waste of time, in my opinion.

       Conclusively, there are so many things I would change if I could. I also feel animosity and anger toward the government for not doing all they can do to truly help and benefit their people and the environment. People will soon realize the damage that is being done, and by then, it will be too late.


Works Cited
Hemp Basics. (2013). General hemp information. Retrieved from
      http://hempbasics.com/shop/hemp-information

Hemp health benefits. (2013). Retrieved from
      http://www.naturallysplendid.com/hemp-health

Feeding America. (2013). Hunger facts. Retrieved from
      http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts.aspx

National Cancer Institute. (2013, March 22). Questions and answers about cannabis. Retrieved from
      http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2


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—Queen Legalize