nnabis sativa L plant is useful. The seeds can he hulled and used in food for flavor and as a protein supplement. These seeds can also be crushed into hemp-seed oil which is used as lamp oil or as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics and soaps. The leaves are used in perfumes and powders, and the stalks are processed for fiber products (Hemp Knowledge). Fiber strands processed from the stalk can be made into anything from textiles to rope or even silk. The coarseness of the material is dependent on the age and density of the crop (Endless). The leftover stalk fragments are what make the hemp paper and building materials. These fragments can also be refined to make paint, sealents, and many of our fuels, such as gas and charcoal (Some).The most notable uses of hemp in the United States today can be seen in the clothing and beauty industries. There are several complete lines of personal care products currently available to consumers. Shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, massage oil, and many others can be found using hemp-seed oil. The key to this is the oils essential fatty acids, which, at first ring, sound like something you should stay away from but they are very effective in skin and hair care and can be used as treatments for many topical diseases. There are also many clothing lines adding hemp to their lineup: Adidas, Ralph Loren, and Calvin Klien are among the major distributors (About). Because of the plants long fibers the cloths are long lasting and fade resistant. Hemp is also an insular material, that is, it blocks 100% of the suns UV rays (Endless).The two products that have not seen their potential are hemp fuel and hemp paper. Because of shipping costs of importing hemp the US has not yet introduced these products to its consumers but with widespread cultivation these applications have the greatest potential. Fossil fuel is a nonrenewable resource of which the US has already exhausted over half of its reserv...
