ILHAA Salutes our Hemp Growing Presidents on President’s Day – Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association, ILHAA, celebrates Presidents’ Day with a salute to our early Presidents who were hemp farmers and understood the diverse and promising uses for hemp crops. President George Washington, President James Madison, President Thomas Jefferson and founding father Benjamin Franklin all believed in the promise of hemp as an important product for the US.
At the beginning of the country, these visionary men saw what an important and multi purpose product hemp was for the new nation and in some ways nothing has changed. Hemp is still a product that has not yet reached its full potential for health and wellness uses for people and pets, clothing and fabric uses, and applications in the construction industry.
Federally legal hemp products include cosmetics, personal care products, dietary supplements or food intended for human or animal consumption, health and wellness products for pain relief and stress management, cloth, cordage, fiber, fuel, paint, paper, particleboard, and any product containing one or more cannabinoids derived from hemp, including cannabidiol. Other uses include fabric, rope and hemp oil for biodiesel fuel as well as new and sustainable uses building materials, hempcrete, hemp fiberboards, hemp insulation: hemp plastics. hemp carpets and textiles, hemp roofing materials, hemp wallboards: and hemp oil-based finishes.
At a time when the Illinois economy is reeling from federal cuts and most municipalities are in desperate need of new revenue sources, city and state and local lawmakers should be supporting research and development in the federally legal hemp industry. ILHAA believes that we need to work together to create new markets for Illinois hemp farmers to grow, and new products for Illinois retailers to sell, and Illinois consumers to purchase for themselves and their pets. If we invest in the current Illinois hemp industry, it can grow Illinois business and add to state and local revenue sources. Responsible regulation of the hemp industry is key for all stakeholders including farmers, retailers, manufacturers, consumers and the governments who receive the tax dollars.
ILHAA Salutes our Hemp Growing Presidents on President’s Day
