The Amazing World of Hemp: Hempcrete – the Most Sustainable Building Material on Earth

Building materials, textiles, and plastics, in this 3-part series, we’ll explore some of the ways hemp is set to change the world.

Concrete, steel, and wood pale in comparison as a sustainable building material to the plant known to grow like a weed — hemp.

With construction consuming a whopping 40% of the world’s global energy and resources, it is imperative that this industry moves towards more sustainable practices in the face of climate change’s many threats. This means moving away from building materials which are mined from the earth or harvested from rapidly depleting forests, and making the switch to renewable resources — and hemp is the perfect material for the job, in the form of a mixture known as hempcrete.

What is Hempcrete?

Hempcrete is a building composite similar to concrete, except it’s made by wet-mixing hemp hurds (woody fibers from the plant core) with a lime-based binder and water. This mixture can then be cast into molds or applied directly as a wet loose-fill material which hardens once dried, serving several construction and insulation purposes.

For instance, hempcrete may come in modular block form — similar to concrete masonry units — for building structures. It may also be used to form insulated walls, with the only other material being the wooden structural frame.

Moreover, hempcrete can be used in combination with other building materials to form both floors and roofs, providing an insulating layer. Astonishingly, hempcrete can even be used today for load-bearing walls. UK Hempcrete has a new system consisting of adapted hempcrete blocks and reinforced concrete.

Photo credit to UK Hempcrete

Hempcrete is also an ideal building material to be used to restore or retrofit traditional or historic buildings. For example, hempcrete can replace or repair infill panels in timber frame buildings, be used to add insulation to solid walls in older buildings with poor insulation, or it can be applied to unevenly shaped walls to improve their appearance.

Hempcrete provides a wide range of benefits — commercially, structurally, and environmentally.

Benefits of Using Hempcrete

Hempcrete has numerous advantages as a building material. Hempcrete lacks the brittleness of regular concrete, removing the need for expansion joints typically required for absorbing vibration and temperature-induced expansion and contraction in structures. Easier to work with, hempcrete is also much more lightweight.

Unlike wood, hempcrete is naturally fire-resistant and pest-resistant. For example, it is virtually impossible for a hempcrete building to become infested with termites.

The material is also highly useful for structures in earthquake-prone areas, as hempcrete’s low density renders it resistant to cracking under movement.

Walls made from hempcrete are very breathable and allow moisture to pass through, which makes hempcrete highly resistant to mold. Moreover, it has low thermal conductivity and wind-resistant properties, making hempcrete an ideal insulator. Buildings made from hempcrete easily stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter — resulting in a perfect material for nearly any climate and leading to substantial energy savings.

“In many climates, a 12-foot hempcrete wall will facilitate approximately 60-degrees indoor temperatures year-around without heating or cooling systems,” said Joyce Beckerman, vice president of the Hemp Industries Association, in an interview. “The overall environmental footprint is dramatically lower than traditional construction.”

Environmentally, hempcrete can’t be beaten as an eco-friendly building material. Hempcrete is carbon negative, as the crop sucks up CO2 as it grows. Hemp can be produced very quickly without the need for pesticides or fertilizer, making it rapidly renewable. For those aiming to achieve a low carbon footprint, building with hempcrete is an optimal choice.

Drawbacks to Hempcrete

While the benefits to using hempcrete are numerous, there are some hurdles this material has to overcome — namely, the cannabis plant still has a negative stigma surrounding it and it is highly regulated or downright illegal to grow in many countries.

This recently changed in the United States, however, with the passing of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, part of the 2018 Farm Bill. Thanks to this bill, hemp has been legalized federally, changing from a controlled substance to an agricultural commodity.

Despite this massive progress, American hemp businesses still face challenges in traditional marketing and sales approaches, as many online advertising platforms and financial institutions still do not distinguish between hemp and marijuana — thus banning all hemp-related companies from advertising on their platforms.

Where is Hempcrete Being Used Today?

Hemp-based structures date back to Roman times, though the first modern-day hempcrete building was constructed in 1986 in France. Today, hemp-based structures can be found all over the globe.

As hemp cultivation is legal across Europe, the continent has hundreds of buildings utilizing hempcrete. France, in particular, leads the way, as they are the largest hemp producer in Europe.

In the US, there are currently over 50 homes made from hempcrete, the first being built in North Carolina in 2010. Hempitecture, a Washington-based company, has been retrofitting homes using the material. In Colorado, there is Left Hand Hemp, located in Denver, who builds hemp structures and helps teach others through seminars about hempcrete. We can expect to see a lot more buildings utilizing hempcrete in the coming years in the US, now that hemp has been legalized federally.

Other countries catching onto the hempcrete trend include Israel, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.

It’s likely many more countries will begin to follow suit in Europe’s and the US’s footsteps of allowing cultivation of hemp soon. As hemp’s negative stigmas continue to be eradicated and its numerous benefits come to light, the use of hempcrete could skyrocket around the world. Seeing that it is incredibly sustainable and cost-effective, this trend will continue to benefit businesses, families, and our planet itself.

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What moms need to know about CBD

Original Article by Motherly

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Idaho Scientists Develop First CBD Infused Potato

You asked for it, Idaho delivered. CBD Potatoes!

The Idaho based J.R. Simplot Company has announced the successful production of the first ever CBD Potato.

“This is truly groundbreaking,” said Carl Burbank, Head Scientist of Research at Simplot. “These potatoes are generally easy to grow, they’re quick to mature, and they taste great.”

The potato, developed under the once-secret project Chemically Balanced Dog “CBD,” could face legal roadblocks. Traces of THC, the psychoactive substance in Marijuana that produces a high, has been found in the potato.

This may be why it has been named the ‘Mary Jane’ potato.

“We’ve been working ‘round the clock here to get the THC levels below .3 percent,” Burbank said. “Which is the legal maximum allowed in Idaho.”

Under Idaho law any plant containing more than .3 percent THC is illegal.

“It’s taken a lot of persuading to get this project off the ground,” Burbank continued. “When we realized our potatoes were getting our test takers high, we decided to move our operations to Oregon.”

Simplot scientists have been commuting to an undisclosed location in Oregon to continue their research. Burbank has high hopes for the potato plant.

“…potatoes may be able to outproduce Marijuana…”

“Pound for pound, our potatoes may be able to outproduce Marijuana as the largest source of both CBD and THC. If we can get Idaho to legalize, then maybe we can bring our research back to the potato state.”

Simplot hasn’t been shy about the products potential applications. From CBD infused french-fries, mashed potatoes, and hashbrowns, the Mary Jane potato could be consumed with every meal.

Local Boise Chef Marla Pound said she was excited to incorporate the potato into her menu.

“I absolutely love the idea of the Mary Jane potato,” Pound said, during an interview on restaurant row in downtown Boise. “Image having your customers leave your restaurant relaxed and happy. You could give them terrible service, but they’d be so relaxed that the wouldn’t care. Image what that will do for your Yelp reviews?”

Although the Mary Jane potato originated in the potato state, Idaho may be one of the last places where it comes to market. Governor Brad Little and the State Legislature have repeatedly stated that Marijuana and any THC products will remain illegal, even for medicinal use.

“For now, our target market won’t be Idaho,” Burbank said. “But someday, we hope that’ll change.”

Original Article by Boise Times

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Levi’s found a way to make hemp feel like cotton, and it could have big implications for your wardrobe

With the legalization of hemp in the United States last December, the industry has been exploding: Reports and Data estimates it’ll be worth $13.03 billion by 2026. While you’ve probably noticed hemp-derived CBD products everywhere, hemp also has major implications for sustainable clothing — and denim icon Levi Strauss & Co. has made significant progress in making this happen.

In March, Levi’s debuted a collaboration with the Outerknown label that includes a pair of jeans and jacket made from a 69%-cotton/31%-hemp blend that feels like pure cotton. Why’s that significant? Hemp, a cannabis plant with a negligible amount of the psychoactive chemical THC, uses significantly less water and chemicals than cotton. Unlike cotton, though, the material is difficult to work with. The cotton fibers in your shirt are derived from a puffy bud on top of a plant, while hemp fibers come from a tall, sturdy trunk.

“It’s a longer, stiffer, coarser fiber,” Levi’s head of global product innovation, Paul Dillinger, told Business Insider. “It doesn’t want to be turned into something soft. It wants to be turned into rope.” Levi’s has found a way to make hemp fibers soft and able to blend with cotton, but in a way that uses significantly less water than the process used to turn hemp plants into a rough material. “It’s great that it’s resonating with the consumer, but it’s more important that it’s helping to future-proof our supply chain,” he said.

Dillinger explained that this is a significant research project that will continue for years, rather than a project that only results in a couple of high-end, niche products. “Our intention is to take this to the core of the line, to blend it into the line, to make this a part of the Levi’s portfolio,” he said.

Dillinger said Levi’s is continuing to work on improving the quality of its cottonized-hemp, to the point where it can be nearly half of a cotton-blend for most apparel, as well as fully hemp for certain products. And in five years, he said, he expects “a 100% cottonized-hemp garment that is all hemp and feels all cotton.”

Dillinger said that the need for cotton alternatives became apparent when looking at the growth trajectory of cotton demand compared to access to fresh water required for its cultivation and processing. Since he was familiar with the nature of hemp, he did not expect to find a solution there… until Levi’s discovered cutting-edge research in Europe, where industrial hemp was already legal in many countries. Levi’s would not reveal its partners or details of its breakthroughs, except to say that it had a market-ready material after three years.

When Levi’s finds a way to make 100% cottonized-hemp clothing, “We’re going to go from a garment that goes from 3,781 L of fresh water, 2,655 of that in just the fiber cultivation,” Dillinger said, drawing from data collected by the Stockholm Environmental Institute. “We take out more than 2/3 of the total water impact to the garment. That’s saving a lot.”

Despite his optimism, Dillinger was quick to point out that he doesn’t want hype around the hemp industry to make it seem like Levi’s and its competitors are going to fully replace cotton or revolutionize the industry overnight. To do it properly, there remains many years of research and development. Plus, it’s likely hemp will be just one of several natural cotton alternatives.

The idea is that hemp clothing, whether in a cotton blend or by itself, isn’t going to be a fad. Dillinger said that while he can’t speak for the company on this point, he personally isn’t too concerned about the marketing of cottonized-hemp clothing, because the ideal down the line is that customers won’t even notice a difference.

“So often there’s the assumption that to purchase a sustainably-made product is going to involve a sacrifice, and that the choice is between something ethically made or something that’s cute,” he said. “You don’t have to sacrifice to buy sustainably.”

Original Article by Business Insider

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Iowa governor signs law enabling industrial hemp production

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that allows Iowa farmers to legally grow industrial hemp.

The Iowa Hemp Act passed the Legislature with overwhelming support last month.

The bill Reynolds signed Monday allows licensed growers to cultivate the crop on up to 40 acres. First, however, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship must develop a plan and submit it for approval of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The USDA must still release its own regulations this fall, with hopes of allowing farmers to grow hemp next year.

Since the 2018 Farm Bill eased federal restrictions on hemp production, most states have either legalized production or are growing it under a 2014 law that allows limited commercial production or research plots.

Among those that haven’t is South Dakota, where the governor vetoed such a law last month.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Original Article by KCCI

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If you sell CBD oils, waters, creams, or edibles, you know that it’s not the same as selling marijuana or marijuana edibles. But that doesn’t mean you won’t run into difficulties finding a credit card processor.

CBD products that make “unsubstantiated” health claims, in particular, may have fewer options when it comes to credit card processing. Let’s take a look at finding a CBD merchant account for your business.

How is CBD Different than Marijuana?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, doesn’t get the user high. That’s an important distinction for many of its proponents, who want to use CBD to relieve medical ailments, not as a recreational drug.

However, when it comes to credit card processing, most companies don’t distinguish between CBD and marijuana. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to change their minds. If a processing company tells you it can’t support your CBD sales, it’s best to continue your search.

Unfortunately, CBD will run into many of the same restrictions that apply to marijuana credit card processing, so it’s important to be aware of the limitations.

Maybe.

At the heart of this question is the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the statute that established U.S. drug policies. Manufacturing, importing or distributing, possessing, and using certain substances is regulated under the CSA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are in charge of which substances are added to or removed from the various “schedules” in the CSA.

The CSA has five “schedules” for different substances, with Schedule I being the most restrictive, and Schedule V the least restrictive. Schedule I substances are claimed to have a high potential for abuse, no current accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision. It includes drugs like LSD, MDMA (ecstasy), heroin, and – confusingly to some – marijuana.

Schedule V substances, on the other hand, are said to have low potential for abuse, have a currently accepted medical use, and, if abused, may only lead to limited dependence. Cough suppressants with codeine and similar products fall under Schedule V.

While the DEA has added certain CBD-containing epilepsy drugs to Schedule V, marijuana remains a Schedule I substance.

CBD vs. Marijuana According to the DEA

However, as mentioned, CBD isn’t exactly the same thing as marijuana. In fact, it may not fall under the CSA at all. A DEA internal directive states: Products and materials that are made from the cannabis plant and which fall outside the CSA definition of marijuana (such as sterilized seeds, oil or cake made from the seeds, and mature stalks) are not controlled under the CSA. Such products may accordingly be sold and otherwise distributed throughout the United States without restriction under the CSA or its implementing regulations.

In this paragraph, the DEA clearly indicates that products that don’t fall under the Controlled Substances Act’s definition of marijuana may be sold and distributed in the United States.

The DEA further states: The mere presence of cannabinoids is not itself dispositive as to whether a substance is within the scope of the CSA; the dispositive question is whether the substance falls within the CSA definition of marijuana.

This latter paragraph suggests that the presence of cannabinoids (CBD) by itself doesn’t determine if a product falls under the Controlled Substances Act. Rather, that determination is made by whether the product falls under the CSA’s definition for marijuana.

If you’re unsure where your product falls, consult an attorney or expert on the drug classifications.

Problems for CBD Sellers

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one problem for CBD sellers involves “unsubstantiated” health claims. If your product makes a health claim that hasn’t been verified by the FDA, it will fall into the category of “pseudo-pharmaceuticals” where it isn’t an approved prescription drug but still claims to have benefits like prescription drugs.

Getting a CBD merchant account when your product makes health claims can be more difficult.

What are “unsubstantiated” health claims?

For the purposes of credit card processing, unsubstantiated health claims are claims that have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any suggestion that a product will positively impact health can be considered a health claim, even if the claim is as general as suggesting the product can decrease anxiety.

Some CBD companies suggest that their products help with ailments ranging from difficulty sleeping to inflammation. However, The Washington Post cautions that the scientific backing for CBD’s effectiveness is limited at this time. It does, however, suggest that there is preliminary evidence that CBD may help with seizures.

If my product doesn’t make health claims, can I get a regular merchant account?

Probably not. Unfortunately, CBD products by nature are likely to be considered “high risk” by credit card processors due to the uncertainty of legality and changing regulations. That makes it more difficult for a processor to ensure a business is complying with state and federal regulations.

Keep in mind that many of the “quick sign-up” style services, such as Square, Stripe, and PayPal, prohibit CBD. Your account may originally go through, but will later be shut down when the processing company conducts internal reviews and finds out that you’re selling CBD. Save yourself the trouble and don’t sign up with any merchant service provider that prohibits CBD sales.

In some cases, you may be able to obtain a high risk merchant account, but it will be at the processor’s discretion whether or not to accept your business. Offshore merchant service providers may also be willing to offer you a CBD merchant account, but remember that it will be more expensive than a domestic option.

Shopify’s Crackdown

While some CBD sellers in the past managed to sign up for payment processing through Shopify, the company has confirmed that products containing CBD cannot be sold through Shopify Payments. It suggests finding a third-party gateway isntead.

Shopify may actively shut down merchant accounts for businesses selling products that contain cannabidiols. Note that you can still use Shopify to host your ecommerce store, you just can’t use Shopify Payments to accept credit cards through that store.

Elavon Stops Accepting CBD

In early 2019, backend processor Elavon announced that it will no longer support merchant accounts for businesses selling CBD. Elavon (and its resellers) was a pioneer in CBD merchant accounts, and many businesses were caught offguard by the news.

Unfortunately, processing companies operating on Elavon’s platform will not be able to continue processing payments for CBD businesses. If that’s you, you’ll need to secure an alternate solution. Fortunately, there are still processing companies that can offer merchant accounts to CBD sellers.

Original Article by CardFellow

The post If you sell CBD oils, waters, creams, or edibles, you know that it’s not the same as selling marijuana or marijuana edibles. But that doesn’t mean you won’t run into difficulties finding a credit card processor. appeared first on CBD For Life.

Alabama Approves 180 Applications To Grow Hemp In the State

Alabama’s  Department of Agriculture and Industries recently approved 180 applications to grow hemp in Alabama.

On Thursday the ADAI released information on those applicants.

They include

  • 152 growers
  • 59 processors
  • 5 universities

All are  licensed to legally grow, cultivate, process, and research industrial hemp in 2019.

“We have had a significant interest in the Alabama Industrial Hemp Pilot Program from potential growers and processors since the availability of applications was announced in January,” Commissioner Rick Pate said.

“The approval of applications and execution of license agreements is complete, and we are in the next phase of the program. We are encouraged after our initial meetings with the approved growers and processors that the first year of the pilot program will provide opportunities for the agriculture industry in Alabama.”

Individuals and businesses must be licensed by the ADAI to grow or process industrial hemp in Alabama. Under laws passed by the Alabama Legislature and the United States Congress, it is unlawful to possess any raw or unprocessed hemp, hemp plants, or hemp seed without a license from the ADAI.

Original Article by Cannabis Law

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FDA open to possibility of legalizing some cannabis products

In the coming months, the Food and Drug Administration will weigh whether certain food and dietary supplements containing cannabis or cannabis derivatives can be sold without violating federal law. Cannabis’s potential to compromise food safety or harm animals is just one of the many issues the agency will consider.

In April, the FDA laid out its plan to study the issue, which was prompted by growing interest in FDA-regulated products derived from Cannabis sativa L. and its components, including CBD.

“We’ve seen, or heard of interest in, products containing cannabis or cannabis derivatives that are marketed as human drugs, dietary supplements, conventional foods, animal foods and drugs, and cosmetics, among other things,” said Scott Gottlieb, MD, then FDA commissioner, in a press release.

“We also recognize that stakeholders are looking to the FDA for clarity on how our authorities apply to such products, what pathways are available to market such products lawfully under these authorities, and how the FDA is carrying out its responsibility to protect public health and safety with respect to such products,” added Dr. Gottlieb, who stepped down April 5.

The FDA plan features a public hearing set for May 31 to gather stakeholder input. The agency will convene an internal working group to study the issue, taking into account statutory or regulatory changes necessary to legally market the products. The working group will also look at potential public health impacts resulting from the availability of such products.

In addition, the FDA is updating its webpage to answer frequently asked questions and help the public understand how the agency’s requirements apply to these cannabis and cannabis-based products. Moreover, the agency has issued several warning letters to companies marketing CBD products with unfounded claims of therapeutic benefits.

Although the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, “Congress explicitly preserved the FDA’s current authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds,” Dr. Gottlieb said.

“The only path that the (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic) Act allows for such substances to be added to foods or marketed as dietary supplements is if the FDA first issues a regulation, through notice-and-comment rulemaking, allowing such use.”

As part of the public hearing and related public comment period, the FDA is interested in data and information about the safety of cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. For instance, the FDA asks, “Are there special human populations (e.g., children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women) or animal populations (e.g. species, breed, or class) that should be considered when assessing the safety of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds?”

Also, “What data are available about residues of cannabis-derived compounds in human foods (e.g., meat, milk, or eggs) that come from animals that consume cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds? Are there residue levels that should be tolerated in these foods?”

Information about the FDA’s public hearing on May 31 and how to submit comments ahead of the July 2 deadline is available at the FDA website. Visit another FDA website page for FAQs about cannabis and cannabis-based products.

Original Article: https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/190601f.aspx

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CBD for Eye Pain – A Surprisingly Effective Remedy!

CBD For Ocular Pain As much as I love blogging about CBD. There is just one thing I hate. After staring at a glaring screen for hours on end my mind wants to keep working but my eyes are screaming in agony. Yup, that pesky ocular pain. It is such a nuisance, all day long …

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Boston Hempire Subscription Package Brief Review

Boston Hempire Subscription Package Brief Review Previously I have reviewed the Boston Hempire company and was impressed with their CBD products and quality. You can check out that review here. I will not be going into a lot of company information today since I already covered that in the previous review. Today I will just …

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