According to a recent report from the charity Transform, cannabis legalization could raise £1.5 billion for the UK economy. The newly legalized plant has many ecological advantages that could shape a healthier world and economy. Cannabis flowers became legally allowed as a medicine in the UK in 2018, though its medicinal origins in Britain date back to at least Anglo-Saxon times. Its popularity is evident throughout various place names nationwide, from Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire to Littlehempston in Devon. 

Hemp

Hemp is a colloquial term for the cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa, and refers to strains of cannabis. Its main psychoactive chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is bred out of the female flowers. Cannabis has been in a negative light over the past 50 years of prohibition, leading farmers to distance themselves from using the term cannabis. This has resulted in strict conditions for growing hemp in the UK, creating a barrier for farmers. 

Cannabidiol (CBD), the primary nonpsychoactive chemical found in female cannabis flowers, has become popular as a wellness product in recent years. CBD is abundant in low-THC hemp flowers, so it is easy for the lines between hemp and cannabis to become hazy. 

Multi-Use Harvests

Hemp stems have a woody core, known as shivs, that can be combined with lime to make hempcrete, a carbon-neutral alternative to concrete. Since concrete production is one of the most significant sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, hempcrete could be utilized to build eco-friendly social housing across the UK.

Hemp seeds are also highly nutritious: rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. If hemp could be grown at an industrial scale, it would benefit the food system by offering a sustainable homegrown food source. 

Healthy Soils

Soil is essential for growing healthy plants. However, it is often contaminated with toxic soils from industrial processes. Hemp’s deep roots have a high tolerance for absorbing heavy metals and are ideal for a “break crop,” a method for farmers to rotate the types of crops they grow to keep the soil healthy.

Plastic Alternatives

Plastic is a major health concern, and recent reports claim that an average human brain contains enough microplastics to make a teaspoon. Hemp offers bioplastics, which are biodegradable and can be used in industrial applications, from building cars to packaging goods. 

Carbon Storage

Plants and trees naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air through photosynthesis. Hemp is even better at storing twice as much carbon dioxide as trees. It can also be grown without synthetic chemicals and requires no pesticides, all of which benefit the fragile health of the planet. 

Energy Storage

Along with storing large amounts of carbon, hemp also stores energy from renewable sources, such as the sun. Solar energy can be stored in batteries but requires mining precious metals. Research has shown that the whole stem biomass (unused plant waste) from cannabis could provide a low-cost way to make graphene. Hemp could also be used in textiles and paper, and these uses could lead the UK to hemp innovation. Legislative changes could help farmers harness this crop’s potential in the fight against climate change.