The Hemp Report

Hemp and the Rule of Law, a documentary by Kevin Balling, a lecturer at Appalachian State University's Department of Communication, will be shown on "North Carolina Visions," UNC-TV's independent film series, November 5th at 11 p.m.

The documentary traces hemp's past in U.S. agriculture and chronicles the debate to return the crop to American farmers. Thirty-one countries, including Canada, England and the European Union, now grow hemp.

Hemp and the Rule of Law addresses renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, national security and the war in Iraq and also examines hemp's role in achieving a "green" industrial future.

Here is the blurb from the film's premier at last year's Asheville Film Festival:

Hemp is a crop with a rich history in U.S. agriculture. In the last decade of the twentieth century, consumer demand for hemp products resulted in the crop's resurgence on farms throughout the western world. Thirty-one countries, including Canada, England, and the European Union now grow hemp. Although it has no psychoactive potential, hemp shares the same plant family as marijuana. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration makes no distinction between hemp and marijuana, and a decade after hemp's worldwide revival farmers in the United States are still not permitted to grow it. Hemp and the Rule of Law traces hemp's legendary past in U.S. agriculture and chronicles the heated debate to return the crop to American farms. Filmed in North Carolina.

The Hemp and the Rule of Law DVD is now available as a gift for a donation to Vote Hemp or direct from the film maker at Tin Roof Video. Here is a two minute video short in Real Player format. It is a wonderful documentary and well worth seeing and sharing.

You should consider getting a copy Hemp and the Rule of Law and have a hemp party. Order some Hemp is Hip, Hot & Happening from the Hemp Industries Association, print some hemp PDFs you can download from IndustrialHemp.net, and make some hemp smoothies and hemp brownies and you and your friends are set for a great educational experience.

Film maker Kevin Balling has also agreed to grant copyright permission for the documentary to be shown on local cable access TV. Please email Kevin at Tin Roof Video for details!