Author of the article: Olga Viktorovna | Updated: 07/22/2021
Tea drink in bags Greenfield Ginger Red, 25 pcs.
67 ₽ More details
Tea drink in bags Greenfield Camomile Meadow, 25 pcs.
64 ₽ More details
Chemistry textbooks grade 10
Nowadays, many people associate cannabis with a narcotic substance. But this is a valuable crop from which useful and environmentally friendly products are made. Cannabis is included in medicines, clothing, shoes, paper, and even fuel and building materials.
Brief information about the plant
At the beginning of the twentieth century, hemp was one of the most valuable crops on the farm. It was grown en masse on collective farms and processed in factories. It became the main source of paper and fuel production. The unpretentiousness of growing cannabis and the ease of its processing have significantly reduced the market value of finished products and made them affordable. Therefore, large oil and paper processing enterprises saw hemp as their main enemy.
In the 20th century, hemp was actively cultivated throughout the world.
In the 1940s, a whole campaign against hemp was launched in the United States, which quickly spread throughout the world. For several decades, growing cannabis seeds was banned in many countries, and research into its beneficial properties was suspended. Only at the end of the twentieth century did the technical variety of the plant begin to gain popularity on farms again.
Fabrics, carpets, sails
Hemp fabric is durable and moisture resistant. It does not lose its properties over time and can be used for 50–60 years. In the last century, when synthetic fabrics were not common, tablecloths, bed linen, and curtains were made from cannabis fibers.
The fabric is pleasant to the touch and durable
Hemp carpets are still the most valuable and expensive. They do not tear or lose their appearance, do not get dirty easily and are easy to wash.
In the XVIII–XIX centuries. Shipping companies maintained huge hemp fields because the plant was used to make sails. At that time, only cannabis could withstand contact with salty sea water. Such sails were used for a record 10–20 years.
Industrial hemp: from past to present
In the modern world, hearing the word “hemp” makes most people shudder.
“Oh, what are you talking about, we’re not like that!” - and, looking sideways at you, they turn away, as if trying to forget what they just heard.
But how can this be? Has modern media really distorted the concept of this plant so much that no one remembers the enormous heritage and the benefits that hemp brought to the Russian people?
Let's dive into history.
Everyone has probably heard the phrase “Eternal Russia” . Have you ever thought about the origin of this name? “Poskon” (or “hemp”) is nothing more than another name for hemp. It received this name thanks to the male hemp plants, from which a thin but very strong fiber was made.
From time immemorial in Rus', peasants grew hemp. And they never paid such close attention to any plant. Very old people still remember that in the old days, linen for clothing and bedding, household ropes and harnesses for horses, fishing nets, sails and sea ropes - everything was made from hemp. Simple food was usually seasoned with hemp oil. It was impossible to live in the countryside without cannabis.
In former times, Russia was actually a country for which hemp used to be practically the same as oil is for it now.
The USSR at one time became a worthy successor to Rus' - the Union was again ahead of the rest. In 1936, hemp crops here occupied 680 thousand hectares - 4/5 of the entire world area! Russian hemp was famous throughout Europe.
The 60-80s of the last century saw the heyday of hemp growing. Hemp, as one of the most highly profitable crops, was grown in almost all regions. The network of hemp factories employed hundreds of thousands of workers and engineering personnel.
Before 1883, up to 75-90% of the world's paper (books, newspapers, maps, banknotes) was made from hemp.
But despite all this, it must be said that the phrase “hemp harvester” did not cause anyone to giggle stupidly. Previously, there was no “ non-narcotic” (industrial) hemp. We lived behind the Iron Curtain and rarely heard about the scourge of drug addiction.
Nobody smoked it. It was used as medicine and made into oil. Milk from the seeds was given to children as a nutrient for growth (hemp grain contains many amino acids). After the war, during famine, they saved themselves with cakes made from ground hemp seeds.
The end of Russian hemp production was put by the UN Convention on Narcotic Substances, when in 1961 the plant was recognized as a drug.
The industry was on the verge of complete decline. The state not only did not stimulate industrial hemp production, but also drove it into a corner with harsh circulars. Farmers who took out a license to grow hemp were required to hire police security units to ensure the safety of non-narcotic crops. In 2007, when the state security service under the Ministry of Internal Affairs raised prices for its services seven times, the majority of hemp-growing farms finally abandoned the cultivation of this agricultural crop. Hemp factories were “cut” into metal, industrial hemp crops decreased by 15 times.
The products of factories for the production of hemp, twine, and ropes ceased to be in high demand, became unprofitable and unpopular. By 1997, hemp crops in the Russian Federation occupied less than 10 thousand hectares, and their area continued to decline.
Harvesting equipment, like the workshop equipment of hemp factories dating back to Soviet times, is outdated and has mostly fallen into disrepair. Processing enterprises simply did not have the funds to modernize or reorient production (for example, the production of modern hemp-based building materials), but often could not even purchase enough seeds or materials to prepare the soil for sowing.
But now hemp farming is gradually being revived. It is noteworthy that the initiative to grow such hemp was taken by the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Drug Control, calling for the revival of the industry, which once brought great income to the Russian budget.
In the seventies, when the USSR joined the UN Convention, breeders were tasked with developing new varieties of hemp, where the content of the narcotic substance - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - would not exceed 0.01%. The scientists did it. The Research Institute of Bast Crops was the first in the world to create hemp varieties that do not contain narcotic compounds. This is a series of high-performance varieties, the THC content of which is significantly lower than the level established by law. “Zoryana”, “Zolotonoshskaya 11”, “Zolotonoshskaya 13”, “Zolotonoshskaya 15” are included in the State Register of Plant Varieties of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, EU countries, Canada. In 1991, at the Institute of Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture named after. Lukyanenko created the first Russian variety of hashish-free hemp “Zenitsa”.
As of 2013, the State Register of Breeding Achievements approved for use included 23 varieties and hybrids of hemp. In 2009, there were 19 varieties in the State Register, in 2008 - 13. Today, scientists at this institute work closely with the State Drug Control Service; they know nothing about the ban on the cultivation of hemp.
Since 2011, Russia has been actively trying to resume its position in the global market for industrial hemp crops.
Here is a small list of hemp factories in Russia where hemp is currently grown: in Dmitriev-Lgovsky (Kursk region), Insar (Mordovia), Nikolsk and Bolshoy Vyas (Penza region), Kurganinsk, Art. Kanevskaya and Otradnensky districts (Krasnodar region), Maikop (Republic of Adygea), Starodub and Pochep (Bryansk region), the villages of Ponyri and Khomutovka (Kursk region), Bolkhov and the village of Khotynets (Oryol region), the village of Altaisky (Altai region).
Hemp is gradually returning to our everyday life. Large media outlets are slowly starting to write about it as a useful plant (for example, an article in the newspaper “Arguments and Facts” - “Hemp in the Law”).
Hemp oil and seeds are actively consumed by supporters of a healthy lifestyle, and for modern designers hemp has become a new elite material. In Europe, the USA and Canada, clothing made from hemp fibers is considered fashion chic. Nike and Adidas have released hemp shoe collections (available only in the American market). The Czech Republic is becoming a leader in the production of hemp cosmetics, and in Kazakhstan they have begun to grow industrial hemp and plan to make paper, banknotes, textiles, and food products from it.
So what do we have in Russia?
It is obvious that this industry is developing and is gradually gaining momentum. After all, hemp growing is something that can enrich Russia, especially now, when our country is already having a difficult time on the world stage, with all these sanctions and import substitution.
Various Russian-made products are gradually appearing - hemp oil, seeds, flour, blankets and pillows filled with hemp (HEMPforLIFE company).
According to the Non-Profit Foundation for the Development of Hemp Growing (yes, there are such things), in a couple of years high-quality hemp fabric will be produced in Russia. And now technologies are being developed to process hemp fiber for textiles, construction and even the defense industry.
I can't help but be pleased with all these changes. After all, industrial hemp is not something that is smoked. This is the strongest and most environmentally friendly textile, oil with unique properties, ropes that do not rot in sea water, bioplastic, fuel and much, much more... This is a unique plant that is the future!
Clothes and shoes, bags
The first clothes made from hemp fabric were sewn in the middle of the 15th century. Shirts, dresses, jackets, sweaters keep you warm in winter and protect your body from heat in summer. The fabric does not tear, wear out or wrinkle. In addition, it is pleasant to the touch.
Hemp clothing is suitable for sports as it regulates heat exchange and prevents sweat.
Shoes made from cannabis are not yet widespread, but everyone who bought them is satisfied. Boots, shoes and sneakers are well ventilated and prevent the appearance of unpleasant odors.
Hemp backpacks are popular among young people
The most common brand remains bags and backpacks made from hemp. They are very popular among young people. Such things look stylish, do not get dirty or tear. Their service life can exceed 15–20 years.
How can you tell if a person has smoked weed?
Immediately after consuming cannabis, intoxication manifests itself in inexplicable bursts of euphoria, and laughter is uncontrollable. In addition, the addict’s eyes turn red and the brain becomes dull for a short time.
Previously used weed, you must pass a drug test. As a rule, urine is studied, the remains of tetrahydrocannabinol in it last about thirty days and with regular use - up to eighty days.
But “blood for cannabis” is very rarely taken - the cannabinoids disappear in it very quickly.
Two days after consuming the herb, it is not easy to find anything in the blood.
It should be noted here that cannabinoids will last longer in the body of larger people. So fat people are advised not to consume cannabis.
The correct test is the hair follicle test. This test will allow you to know that the patient has consumed cannabis even six months after use, and for those who smoke weed regularly, the marks remain almost forever. However, this method is rarely used.
Paper
In the mid-20th century, more paper was made from cannabis than from trees, but the anti-hemp campaign virtually destroyed production. Recently, environmentalists have often raised the issue of its resumption, as this would help stop deforestation.
From one hectare of hemp you can get no less paper than from 3-4 hectares of forest. It is stronger, better quality and easier to process. But the production of paper from cannabis would stop the work of large paper concerns. Therefore, their owners hinder solutions that would preserve the planet's environmental resources.
Building materials and paints
Building houses using waste from the production of hemp-containing products is rapidly gaining popularity in Europe and the United States. Unused cannabis is mixed with lime to create durable, heat-retaining concrete.
Building an eco-friendly hemp house
A production facility has opened in Germany, creating laminate and floor coverings from hemp cake. This product is environmentally friendly.
Hemp oil is included in construction paints. They are durable and non-toxic, but the high price prevents them from fully entering the market.
How to remove cannabis from the body faster?
To remove weed from your body quickly, you need to speed up your metabolism. This requires a lot of physical exertion - for example, going to the gym. Most of the chemicals in weed are excreted through sweat.
Visiting a sauna or steam bath will also help remove weed from the body. True, it will take a lot of time. It’s good to combine a steam room with a cold pool or ice hole. At the same time, you need to understand that the use of weed has a strong effect on the heart, so you should be wary of baths, saunas and swimming in ice water while intoxicated.
Another thing that affects the removal of THC from the body is diet. To speed up your metabolism, you will need to eat a large amount of green apples, but you should forget about meat and dairy products.
Biofuel and mulch
Hemp also competes with oil production. Environmentally friendly raw materials are part of safe and cheap fuel. Due to the fact that heavy industry may suffer large losses, the heads of oil refining companies are preventing the development of gasoline production from cannabis.
But recently this plant is increasingly grown as a fertilizer. It is used as mulch. The stems and leaves of the plant are dried and used to cover the soil near the roots. This protects garden crops from frost, drying out and the appearance of weeds, and also saturates the soil with useful substances.
Hemp mulch protects the soil from drying out
Butter, milk, flour, tofu, chocolate
Previously, hemp oil was used in the same way as sunflower oil. It has a pleasant taste and rich aroma, as well as medicinal properties. The oil contains vitamins, amino acids and proteins. It can be added to salads, sauces and dressings to saturate the body with useful substances during the cold season.
Cannabis milk is a healthy and expensive drink. It is included in nutritional shakes and smoothies. To obtain it, the seeds are soaked and ground, then the resulting liquid is cooled and infused. Milk contains vitamins, beneficial acids and microelements, and has a calming and analgesic effect. The drink is made from an industrial type of plant, so there is no narcotic substance.
Hemp flour is most often mixed with other flours and added to baked goods to produce a pleasant nutty flavor. It also contains a large number of useful substances. Products with such flour can be consumed by people with gluten intolerance.
Tofu cheese with cannabis is a real delicacy. In restaurants it is served with green beans and soy sauce. This dish is considered healthy and natural.
Chocolate containing this plant is becoming increasingly common in Europe. Ground seeds are added to the classic recipe, which makes the product healthier and adds new notes of taste.
Chocolate
Tofu
Flour
Milk
Oil
New Russian superfood
Kuzin decided to offer the result of his labors as an exotic product to local eco-shops, yoga studios and healthy food cafes. “[Industrial] hemp is the new Russian superfood. Well, like new, well forgotten old,” explains the entrepreneur. “But Nizhny [Novgorod] rejected us - no one produced it here at all at that time.”
The entrepreneur still managed to come to an agreement with several points, but he had to work with a deferred payment: “No one believed in the product, they only took it for sale.” Gradually, the proceeds from the sale of cores reached 150,000 rubles per month - this was enough to buy raw materials and pay 20,000 rubles for the rental of premises. “There was no profit. Either mom will serve, then dad, or friends will feed you,” the entrepreneur recalls. After six months of working from hand to mouth, Kuzin’s partner Vitaly Kardashin left the business. He did not respond to Forbes' request.
Kardashin’s place was taken by an investor, whom Kuzin was introduced to by the owner of the premises where he dried industrial hemp with a hairdryer. The entrepreneur does not disclose his name and field of activity, but according to SPARK-Interfax, Mikhail Kokotkin became the new partner, who received 40% of the company in 2016. With the million rubles received, Kuzin updated the oil press, purchased raw materials, developed a packaging design, hired two workers, an accountant and a sales manager.
The new equipment made it possible to make oil of a higher quality, and the entrepreneur began supplying it to his clients, who were already purchasing kernels. Then the turn came to the monetization of production waste - shells. Cousin accidentally came across information on the Internet that industrial hemp is often used to bait fish - it smells a specific smell and bites well. The entrepreneur offered the product to local fishermen, who began to willingly buy husks (seed shells) for 100 rubles per 1 kg.
Kuzin found a use for another production waste - cake, which remains after squeezing the oil from hemp kernels. “They grind it, and it turns out to be a powdery consistency—protein. Hemp protein contains all the essential amino acids and omega-3s - all vegetarians and athletes are snapping it up,” says the entrepreneur. In his retail store, the cost of 1 kg of protein is 2190 rubles. The protein’s finest hour came unexpectedly six months after the launch of the product, after TV presenter Irena Ponaroshku showed a jar of “Hemp” on her Instagram account. “Sales took off, several dozen people immediately followed us on Instagram,” says Andrey.
At the end of 2021, Kuzin met another future partner, whose name he did not disclose. According to him, the investor himself came to the project when he was looking for an “ecological startup for investment.” The new partner invested another 4.5 million rubles for 40% in legal entities - Konopel and PC Konopel. According to SPARK-Interfax, Alexey Poleshchuk became the new co-owner - now, according to SPARK-Interfax, a member of the board of directors of Oboronenergo JSC. Using the money received, the company moved to a new premises with an area of 300 square meters. m, made repairs there and purchased additional equipment - European oil extraction machines. This made it possible to increase productivity several times - up to 8 tons of products per month. Poleshchuk refused to answer questions from Forbes. “We don’t want to advertise his participation in the project,” said the entrepreneur’s assistant Olga Tulikova.
Advertising on Forbes
