The Hemp Revolution
Written and directed by Anthony Clarke
Gil Scrine Films
Hemp, hemp, hooray! The Hemp Revolution is the latest documentary by Australian film maker Anthony Clarke, whose previous work includes The Panama Deception and Coverup: Behind the Iran-Contra Affair.
The Hemp Revolution investigates the many uses of hemp — medical, industrial and recreational — offering a persuasive argument for its legalisation. Footage of demos, meetings and interviews from around the world show the varied uses of hemp.
There are many environmental benefits of hemp. As a paper pulp and building material (hemp is so strong that Henry Ford once made a car body out of it!), it could alleviate pressure on our old growth forests. As a textile fibre it could replace cotton, which requires far more chemical inputs, and it can be processed into clean ethanol fuel.
Hemp was one of the first plants cultivated and was among the world's largest agricultural crops until the late 1800s. In 1937 hemp was prohibited in the US.
Hemp was viewed by the timber industry and petrochemical companies as an economic threat. In the same year a fanatical campaign to warn people of the "evils" of the killer drug marijuana was begun by Du Pont in cahoots with media baron Randolph Hearst. The Hemp Revolution shows footage from cult classic Reefer Madness, which was used amongst other propaganda by the United States government and big business to destroy the hemp industry.
The social costs of the current war on drugs, particularly in the United States, are also discussed. Around 500,000 people are convicted each year for marijuana offences; people living with diseases such as cancer and AIDS are harassed, beaten and thrown into jail for possession of marijuana. The current position of the US government is contrasted with the policy of the Netherlands government, which treats marijuana use as an educational and health issue rather than one of law enforcement.
The Hemp Revolution offers rational alternatives for hemp use and examines some of the economic and political interests, such as oil and petrochemical corporations and corrupt police forces, which collude in and benefit from the current prohibition. The film implies, too optimistically, that rational argument alone, rather than social and political change, will overcome such obstacles, but overall it is a very interesting and useful account.
The video is distributed by Gil Scrine Films and can be purchased for $29 by writing to 17 Myrtle Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065. Hire negotiable: phone Simon on (02) 9929 8430.