Soap maker David Bronner: Hemp ban highlights absurdity of drug war

David Bronner, the maker of organic "Magic Soap," on Tuesday blasted the ban on industrial hemp in the United States.

"In our soap, hemp oil is a super fatty ingredient," he explained to Democracy Now's Amy Goodman. "It contains an unparalleled content of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are—omega-3 is really good to eat internally. The American diet is chronically deficient in. Doctors recommend fish, certain kinds of fish; however, there’s also mercury concerns. So hemp oil is a really good source of omega-3. And then, in a soap product, it makes the lather smoother and less drying."

Industrial hemp is a commonly used fiber that’s in tens of thousands of products currently sold inside the U.S., and has a long history of use by the U.S. government. During World War II, for instance, the government urged farmers to grow hemp for military use. The fibers were used for dozens of practical solutions, including uniforms, paper, parachutes, rope and more.

However, because it shares significant portions of its genetics with marijuana, American farmers are forbidden to produce industrial hemp, essentially banning them from joining an industry that’s enjoyed direct access to American consumers for decades.

"I mean, for us, we’re also very interested in it because it’s at the nexus and intersection of environmental policy and drug policy," Bronner said. "You know, we feel like cannabis prohibition is just a disaster around the world—well, and psychedelics prohibition, in general. It has such promise and hope for helping us lead more conscious and compassionate lives. You know, in the industrial hemp—these are the fiber and seed varieties of cannabis—they have no drug value whatsoever. And it just kind of highlights the absurdity and bankrupt nature of the drug war."

Watch video, courtesy of Democracy Now, below:

With prior reporting by Stephen C. Webster