NZ Hemp Industries Association Inc

Public Newsletter for September quarter 2017 

In this issue:

• Industrial hemp is not a drug

• Whats does the New Zealand iHemp industry represent

• The next step for iHemp; food, fiber and medicine

• Vote in the General Election

Industrial hemp is not a narcotic drug!

• Yes industrial hemp is cannabis but it is not marijuana cannabis.
• Marijuana cannabis has a higher THC content, (THC  is the cannanbinoid responsible for the psychoactive effect, the high) and ranges from  3-20% THC in marijuana cannabis.
• Industrial hemp cannabis has less than 0.3% THC, so has no use as a psychoactive drug
• People have got to understand how negligible the THC is in iHemp and get over it, you cant get high off iHemp
• Since 2006 iHemp has been legal to grow in NZ under a licence issued by the Ministry of Health

Industrial hemp is defined by regulation as being low THC cannabis, we are separate from the narcotic drug controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.  We have our own regulations that protect our industry and ensure only low THC industrial hemp can be made into hemp products.

As soon as our politicians and bureaucrats accept that the iHemp industry has worked hard over 20 plus years to establish a new primary industry for New Zealand, we will finally be able to move forward and take advantage of the huge economic and environmental benefits of growing and working with iHemp, to produce quality hemp products of value to consumers here and overseas.

What does the New Zealand iHemp industry represent

• A opportunity to revitalise rural New Zealand with jobs and investment opportunities
• An alternative land use, iHemp grows in 90-120 days, so is great in rotation.
• It does not have many pests and diseases so grows well without the need for fungicides, herbicides and pesticides.  It can help loosen compacted soil and phyto-remediate  polluted land making it productive again
• it can provide farmers with a great return from the stems, seeds, leafs and roots being processed and made in to hemp products for a growing number of aware consumers
• Initial processing must be done locally, so this generates more jobs in rural areas
• The processing and growing of iHemp requires investment in infrastructure
• Investment builds the capacity and opportunities to add value in regional NZ

Lets encourage this new arable industry, and let our experts in the food, construction, textile, plastic/composite, paper, medical and farming sectors get involved and make New Zealand a center of excellence in the world wide iHemp industry.

We have the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 which protect out industry and allow us to produce hemp products.   It would be great to have the political will and support of the government. to help us develop.  But it is not necessary, if they simply stopped looking for problems and putting up unnecessary road blocks, the industry would do the rest and help them achieve theirambitious export goalThe export goal is to double primary industry exports in real terms from $32 billion in June 2012 to $64 billion by 2025. To achieve this, New Zealand’s primary industries must grow at a rate of 5.5% a year through to 2025.

Have your say in the election and vote by Saturday 

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