To start with, no, smoking it isn’t a use! We guess you can smoke hemp if you want to, but there’s no point in doing so because it won’t get you high.
Now, let’s go over some of the surprising uses for hemp that you didn’t know!
Better Paper
Surely, you’ve noticed that paper tends to get yellow after time, and becomes more brittle as well. The wood-based paper has this problem, but the hemp-based one is naturally acid-free.
A hemp sheet would last thousands of years without degrading, contrary to normal paper. The best part is that hemp grows faster than trees (not very surprising) and requires less machinery.
So, next time you plan on buying paper, give hemp paper a try! The environment will thank you.
Hempcrete
Other names for this are hemp concrete, hemplime, and canobiote. The combination of lime and hemp produces a waterproof, lightweight, flexible, and even fire-resistant alternative to concrete.
Hopefully, it’ll replace concrete one day, as this material is cheaper and eco-friendlier.
Hemp Plastic
Hemp produces one of the strongest natural fibers known to man. For this reason, a variation of plastic is made with hemp, with next to none of the toxic elements used to make conventional plastics.
This hemp plastic is hard to deform and even harder to break, all while being much lighter than plastics of equivalent resistance.
It’s used a lot in aerospace and automotive for this reason, but it’s also used for pipes, insulation, and bricks.
There are different grades of hemp-to-plastic, ranging from polypropylene bases reinforced with hemp fibers to 100% hemp-cellulose materials.
Antibacterial Fabrics
Did you know that hemp is among the fastest growing plants? Part of this is because it requires no pesticides or additives. The reason for this is that hemp is naturally strong against bacteria, and outpaces pests.
Several studies have concluded that the five cannabinoids present in hemp actively fight bacteria, and this property is transferred to hemp fabrics.
Currently, many hospitals and clinics could benefit from changing anything made of cloth or latex with hemp. Cloth gets infected easily, and many people are allergic to latex.
Hemp Oil
You probably turn to fish oil to satisfy your fatty acid needs.
But did you know that hemp contains more fatty acids? Hemp brings omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids at a ratio of 3:1 and it’s rich in GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid), a rare plant-based omega-6 that is more beneficial than other types of omega-6.
Hemp oil provides a better solution that comes from a natural source, doesn’t depend on the availability of fish (so overfishing won’t be a problem) and it’s cheaper.
So, next time you want to enjoy a healthy oil for your meals, look for hemp oil!
Who would’ve thought that marijuana’s cousin, hemp, would have so many uses? It’s important to keep an open-mind about discoveries. Many ostracize hemp just because of its botanical relationship with cannabis, but don’t let the “weed phobia” scare you away!
