The Latin name for the hemp plant is cannabis.  Hemp is the English word.    

This useful plant made ancient history.  Hemp seeds provide high protein  porridge and often saved populations from famine.  Oil pressed from hemp seeds provides fuel, lighting oil, paint base and cooking oil. Hemp meal (what remains after pressing the oil) is high protein food. Hemp fiber becomes rope, fine clothing, canvas, sails, durable paper. Hemp hurds provide fuel and building material. Medicine from cannabis sativa and cannabis indica is prescribed for arthritis, asthma, glaucoma, nausea, cancer, anxiety, anorexia and depression.  

Medicinal and recreational uses are a small sliver of the economy that can thrive once we can grow industrial/agricultural hemp, which has next to zero THC.   

The Kachemak Bay Cannabis Coalition worked together quietly for years. This coalition is now merging with the wider Kachemak Bay community, holding weekly Wednesday meetings at 6 p.m. in the downstairs conference room at the Bidarka Inn.  

On Feb. 24, cannabis users can come out of the closet without fear of arrest. The coalition is planning a series of community meetings on agricultural hemp, medicinal hemp and the hemp economy.  Feel free to e-mail kachemakcannabisconsultancy@gmail.com with questions and concerns.  

Check out SB8, a bill to legalize the growing of industrial/agricultural hemp in Alaska.  Once SB8 passes, there could be hundreds of small growers raising agricultural hemp around Kachemak Bay.