The hemp deception

July 1, 10:26 AMPortland Drug Policy ExaminerJohn English

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Most of us don’t like liars. Lying by omission, by deception, is no less offensive.

With hemp, deception’s the rule! Honesty’s the exception.

Legislators and farmers don’t know that at least 8 of the 9 founding officers and directors (of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) – hemp’s major U.S. trade group) are also vigorous pro pot legalization advocates. That they don’t know, … that’s intentional.

On one hand, hemp promoters tell you that hemp is not marijuana … that it has amazing qualities, that hemp is the answer to the world’s problems, whether it be hunger, pollution, health, fuel or the economy, they’ve got the answer; it’s hemp.

On the other hand, behind your back though, they’re presenting this and an additional perspective to our youth! Our youth parrot these deceptions right back at us, but most of them know the intent of these deceptions.

Legislators and farmers don’t though. But they don’t read “High Times” like young people do; nor do they attend National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) conferences. They’d know if they did.

Youth read “High Times” though; they know! "High Times" readers are told what’s being done, right out front! They understand that to promote marijuana, hemp (its’ low THC content male counterpart) is only part of the comprehensive plan to make pot acceptable in the public’s eyes.

It’s you, the parents and the rest of mainstream America that these hempster-hucksters are into deceiving. Providing for loved ones, and all the duties adults must do to raise their children doesn’t leave much time to investigate all the aspects of how the legalization movement is presenting drugs to your children. They count on that.

Take for example, “hemp music,” another surreptitious method of presenting hemp and marijuana as acceptable. Though they deny the connection to mainstream America, to our youth, they're saying just the opposite.

While working for NORML, Eric Steenstra, co-produced 2 pro-marijuana / hemp albums: “Hempilation”, (subsidized by the promoters), features pro-pot bands performing their favorite weed classics such as: “I wanna take you higher”, “I wanna get high”, “I like marijuana”, “Don’t step on the grass, Sam”, “Who’s got the herb”, “Convicted”, “Sweet Leaf”, “Smokin’ Cheba Cheba”, “Champagne & Reefer”, “Legalize It”, “And It Stoned Me”, “Homegrown”, “High Time We Went”, “Pot Head Pixies”

There are other songs on this album of youth-pollution but the song titles aren’t as explicit as these. If you doubt me, take a look and listen at Hempilation album.

The words, sometimes buried in the hard rock, and therefore somewhat hard to understand, … but they're there.  Or, if you don’t know how children are being targeted, look up the lyrics  . . . . better yet, go there and search the word “hemp”, or “pot”, or “high”. You won’t believe the amazing flood of pot music targeting your children and that’s only part of it!

(Information for this article came from publications by Jeanette McDoougal, MM, CCDP, Chair, Hemp Committee, Drug Watch International and Sandra S. Bennett, also Drug Watch International.)