While cannabis remains illegal on a federal level, many individual states have legalized it and 2022 has seen several advancements for this industry.
New research has identified an association between home cultivation of cannabis and specific risks, like workplace use. These results could have significant ramifications for education and policy interventions.
Hemp is the Future of Construction
Though concrete and steel account for nearly 37% of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions from energy-and-process related processes, forward-thinking architects and members of the construction industry have begun exploring more environmentally friendly building materials like hempcrete - a hybrid material composed of cement, hemp fibers and hemp oil that can replace traditional wallboard in wood frame buildings.
HempFlax, a Belgian manufacturer of hempcrete blocks, reports high demand in Europe for their product and has thus established a second production line to meet market demands.
Hemp Westcoast Bud has many uses beyond getting high. It makes an effective insulator and can reduce energy needs for heating and cooling buildings. Furthermore, hemp acts as an excellent soil enhancer that can remove toxins from the ground while sequestering twice as much carbon than forests while taking up less space than their counterparts - qualities which make it a strong candidate to replace conventional building materials with hemp alternatives.
Hemp is the Future of Fuel
Hemp fuel may be the future of home entertainment as an effective alternative to fossil fuels that release harmful emissions into the atmosphere and damage the ozone layer. Finding ways to use less gasoline and diesel is essential, with hemp fuel providing an ideal option that does not produce any noxious toxins when burned.
Contrary to THC, which produces psychoactive effects, hemp plants contain only low levels of cannabinoids such as CBD and terpenes - substances which produce aromatic scents pleasing to the senses. They also boast high oil contents which make hemp products ideal for use as lubricants, plastics or paper production.
Hemp can be used to produce biodiesel, an environmentally-friendly fuel for cars without needing to change engines, as well as ethanol - a liquid fuel produced through fermentation of glucose or starches - through cellulolysis, breaking down plant fibers into sugars and fatty acids that can power engines or generators.
Hemp is the Future of Healthcare
Cannabis has long been cultivated as a multifunctional plant that has been utilized in paper production, textile production, biofuel production and food industry applications. Cannabis also boasts medicinal uses including relieving pain, anxiety and nausea relief as well as improving sleep and appetite regulation. Research has also indicated its beneficial properties can reduce muscle stiffness in those suffering from fibromyalgia; improve mood and sense of well-being among depression sufferers; as well as alleviate muscle spasms associated with fibromyalgia symptoms.
Cannabinoids, or active compounds found in cannabis plants, include at least 120 active substances known as cannabinoids. Of these cannabinoids, two of the best-known are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC has psychoactive effects while CBD does not.
Many different varieties of cannabis have been bred specifically for medical uses. This includes both marijuana, with high concentrations of THC, and hemp, which does not contain THC or any psychoactive compounds; hemp fiber can then be used in a range of products while cannabis itself may be smoked like tobacco cigarettes or piped through various pipes, or used to brew tea, make gummies, or make other edible products.
Hemp is the Future of Entertainment
Cannabis is an herb with many medicinal and recreational applications, including psychoactive properties derived from its compounds. Cannabis contains at least 120 different active cannabinoids; with CBD and THC being two common examples that produce varying effects in the body.
THC interacts with receptors in the brain that control memory, thinking, movement coordination, sensory perception and pleasure resulting in feelings of euphoria, relaxation, sedation and drowsiness. If consumed by young people who are still developing it can lead to serious consequences and become addictive.
Cannabis plants can be eaten, smoked, vaped and mixed into drinks or food as edibles. Smoking it via pipe or joint is popular, while more people are opting to inhale oils and extracts through devices known as wax pens (or dab pens), often offering higher concentrations of THC.