Ten Interesting Facts & Uses You Probably Didn’t Know About Cannabis

Cannabis needs to be recognized not solely for its medicinal properties, but for the number of other redeeming qualities and uses it possesses. That is why we have prepared a list of ten things we found particularly interesting about marijuana that we hope are new to you.

1. People have been using cannabis, and its seeds, for nutritional value for centuries. The seeds were most commonly ground into a porridge called “gruel”, or cold-pressed into a clear oil. In China, fresh hemp seeds are toasted and sold like popcorn in movie theaters and by street vendors.
2. Hemp seeds contain up to 24% protein, and 30-40% oil by weight. The oil from cannabis is said to be the most unsaturated oil derived from the vegetable kingdom. Hemp oil consists of up to 81% of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (EFA’s) that are needed, but not produced by the human body.
3. Juicing raw medical marijuana plants, the same way you would juice any other vegetable, preserves vital compounds and enzymes such as CBD that would otherwise deteriorate from smoking or cooking it.
4. Marijuana can be grown solely on the bi-products of living fish; Yes, their waste. The relatively new method of growing is known as “Aquaponics,” and is growing in popularity. Fish produce waste, which is broken down by bacteria into nitrates, a main source of food for marijuana plants in the vegetative stage. Water is then circulated from the fish tanks to the hydroponic grow bed where the nitrates are consumed by the plant, which in turn filters water for the fish. Aquaponics is inherently organic, and can be run entirely chemical free. Amazing.
5. A survey done in the EU showed that over 95% of hemp seed sold was used for animal feed and fishing bait. One line of thinking is that fish mistake the seeds for small black snails, and can be used as perfect bottom-feeder bait.
6. Smoking a joint with your wife before bed may get her out of those sweatpants you hate to see put on. Marijuana has been rumored to be a sexual stimulant. Researchers from the University of Texas injected THC in male mice, and witnessed an immediate jump in testosterone 6 times the normal amount.
7. Hemp fiber was widely used throughout history. It was used to make a number of products including, but not limited to, rope, fabrics, sail canvas, clothing, to industrial products like building blocks.
8. The inner two fibers of hemp are woodier and are more often used in non-woven items and other industrial applications, like mulch, animal bedding, and litter.
9. The oil from hemp seeds oxidizes (or dries) to become solid upon exposure to air, similar to linseed oil, which allows for its use in oil-based paints.
10. The University of Mississippi has been growing marijuana for US Government-approved research since 1968. Each year the university is allowed to grow 1.5 acres, 6.5 acres, or none, depending upon demand.

Interesting right? It’s time we open the world up to the full use of cannabis, as well as hemp. If you have any little known facts that we missed (that are actually very rare or unknown facts), please feel free to share with us so we can spread the word.