Although many hemp farmers are cashing in on the increasing popularity of CBD oil products, hemp is a source of fiber to create other products that just makes sense – it saves trees, it is environmentally friendly, and it is easy to grow. What are some of the products that are being made from hemp and what are their benefits?
If you are considering farming hemp or manufacturing hemp products in SC, you may already know that you will have to navigate what seems like a regulatory nightmare just to get your crops in the ground or to begin processing hemp plants.
The SC hemp attorneys at Coastal Law can help you to track the swiftly changing local, state, and federal laws that govern hemp farming and hemp production, get your business up and running, negotiate contracts on your behalf that are designed to avoid litigation, and handle any litigation that arises – business, regulatory, or criminal.
SC Hemp Industry – Farms are Expanding
Years ago, many people were complaining – loudly – about the prohibition on hemp farming and hemp products in SC. Then, thanks to the 2014 Farm Bill, SC began to allow a small number of hemp farms for research purposes.
Then, last year, in the 2018 Farm Bill, the federal government legalized industrial hemp (cannabis sativa with a THC concentration of less than .3%) and removed it from the Controlled Substances Act, allowing states to legalize hemp farming.
In response, SC immediately passed the SC Hemp Farming Act, which removed the caps on the number of permits issued to hemp farmers, removed the caps on acreage, and removed the requirement that hemp farmers partner with a university for research purposes.
Last year, SC allowed 20 hemp farmers to grow on a total of 256 acres. This year, SC has approved 113 permits for hemp farmers who are approved to plant around 3300 acres of hemp plants – a 1200% increase.
Why is the SC hemp industry expanding so quickly? It’s because hemp is kind of awesome.
It’s not just a cash crop that provides the cannabidiol needed for the exploding CBD oil industry, but it also has many other uses including the manufacturing of products for the textile, construction, and biofuel industries.
What is the SC Hemp Industry?
SC hemp farmers grow a form of cannabis sativa that looks and smells like marijuana but does not get people high.
Industrial hemp, to be legal, must have a THC content (tetrahydrocannabinol, the drug that gets people high) of less than .3%. It is grown, harvested, and then processed for use as CBD products, clothing, construction materials, and can even be used as fuel.
CBD Oil Products Manufactured in SC
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a compound that can be extracted from the hemp plant and that is in high demand.
Unlike THC, CBD does not get you high. It is non-psychoactive, but it reportedly has many of the therapeutic benefits of THC. Although CBD products, with few exceptions, have not been approved by the FDA for medicinal use, as dietary supplements, or for use in edibles, that isn’t stopping CBD retailers across the country from selling it.
Studies have shown that CBD oil may be effective in providing relief from:
- Anxiety;
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
- Opioid addiction;
- Schizophrenia;
- Arthritis;
- Inflammation; and
- Epilepsy and other seizure disorders.
There is also some evidence that CBD is effective in preventing cancer and in managing the side effects of cancer treatments.
Why hasn’t the government approved its use for medical purposes? The most common answer is that more studies need to be done and there is insufficient information to draw conclusions about its effectiveness.
When CBD sales and use are so widespread that you can’t drive more than a few blocks in many towns without seeing a CBD store or convenience store selling CBD products, how is it that the government is incapable of testing and approving its use?
Could it instead have something to do with the pharmaceutical companies who have not yet figured out how to control CBD (and the profits from it)?
Hemp Products Manufactured in SC
Why is hemp awesome?
Hemp, a plant that grows quickly and can be replanted every season, has a broad range of uses, some of which are revolutionary and would go a long way towards saving our planet. Its uses include:
- Foods: hemp seeds are nutritious and can be eaten raw or turned into meal, powder, or liquids. Hemp oil made from the seeds can be used for cooking. Hemp leaves can be eaten in salads or used to make juice.
- Fiber: hemp fiber can be used to make paper, fabrics, clothing, rope, sails, canvas, and other consumer goods.
- Construction materials: hempcrete can be used as insulation, plaster, and a substitute for wood in new home constructions – in 2010, the first US home made of hemp-based materials was finished in Asheville, NC.
- Biofuels:Biodiesel, or hempoline, can be made from hemp oil, while ethanol can be made by fermenting the entire plant.
For at least the past 10,000 years, humans have been growing hemp plants and using their fibers to make clothing, rope, and other products. Why aren’t we?
Attorneys for the SC Hemp Industry
Entrepreneurs and farmers who are getting involved in the SC hemp industry need legal advice and representation. Because of the industry’s ongoing transition in status from a potential crime to a 100% legitimate industry, hemp farmers, distributors, and manufacturers of hemp-based products need legal help to:
- Set up and incorporate their businesses;
- Draft contracts and purchase agreements that will protect their interests and prevent lawsuits;
- Prosecute or defend lawsuits that arise in the course of business operations;
- Apply for hemp farming permits and navigate the red tape to get approval;
- Stay abreast of the quickly changing laws that affect hemp and CBD oil production;
- Review the relevant local, state, and federal laws and regulations that apply to the SC hemp industry; and
- Provide representation for alleged violations of regulatory or criminal laws.
SC Hemp Lawyers in Myrtle Beach
Whether you are considering starting a new business growing or processing hemp, or you are already in the business and have realized that you need legal advice going forward, the SC hemp industry attorneys at Coastal Law want to help.
Call Coastal Law now at (843) 488-5000 or send an email to talk with a Myrtle Beach hemp farming and business law attorney today.
