密歇根新闻广播 关于大麻种植引发的争论

 

In 2018, the U.S. Congress lifted a pre-World War II restriction¹ that made it illegal for farmers to grow industrial hemp²—a variety of the cannabis sativa plant that contains less than .3% THC.

More than 500 Michigan farmers are licensed³ to grow the crop. This year, they farmed around 30,000 acres of hemp.

Dave Crabill is a hemp grower and vice⁴ president of iHemp Michigan, an organization that connects hemp farmers, processers, and manufacturers. We talked to him about this year's harvest and the future of hemp farming in Michigan.

What is hemp used for?

Crabill says that most hemp farmers grow their crop in order to harvest its highly-valuable cannabidiol, or CBD oil. That oil is stored in the hemp plant's flower, and extracting it is an extremely labor⁵ intensive process.

Hemp fiber⁶ can also be used to create textiles, but Crabill is looking into a Grand Rapids company that can use the inner core of the hemp stalk — called the hurd — to make injection-molded plastics.

How is hemp processed?

Most hemp is processed manually, but Crabill says that there is specialized⁷ equipment coming onto the market that can help mechanically harvest the plant. He says that with the state's manufacturing base and rich agricultural history, Michigan is poised⁸ to become a leader in that industry.

Innovation is what we need to take out some of the expense of the labor, Crabill said.

What's the deal with CBD?

Now that it's legal to grow hemp, Crabill predicts that we'll start to see a lot more research into the medicinal properties of cannabinoids like CBD. He thinks there's a need for more regulation when it comes to quality control of products like CBD, but hopes to see those rules developed from within the industry.

What have reactions to hemp legalization been like so far?

Crabill argues that the industrial hemp industry is a startup like any other, but that it grapples with an additional issue that he calls reefer madness. He says that people from within that industry often experience pushback because of hemp's association with marijuana.

That's part of our job as an association is to educate people about industrial hemp, how it's great for the economy and the ecology, and why they should really embrace this plant, Crabill said.

Hemp moving forward

Crabill says that for the industrial hemp industry, this first year is about learning and doing it smarter next year. He's organized a trade expo for the hemp industry that will provide resources to farmers who are hoping to get started growing hemp, and help them find ways to process and sell their crop.

There's markets out there for this product — the CBD oil and the flower — and there's people that want it right now, Crabill said. Now, it's just a matter of connecting them with the Michigan farmers.

1 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

2 hemp   

n.大麻；纤维

参考例句：

• The early Chinese built suspension bridges of hemp rope.古代的中国人建造过麻绳悬索桥。
• The blanket was woven from hemp and embroidered with wool.毯子是由亚麻编织，羊毛镶边的。

3 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。