Pahrump observes ‘Hemp Week’ at museum

According to its statement, the Nevada Hemp Association is dedicated to the research, education and economic development of industrial hemp in the state of Nevada.

Pahrump resident Michael Whalen, president of the association, said Silver State residents can learn more about the industry during Nevada Hemp Week, June 5-11, with a special presentation at the Pahrump Historical Museum.

The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. today at 401 E. Basin Ave. This year’s theme is called “Breaking Ground.”

Admission is free.

“We will be discussing opportunities for setting up small family farmers,” Whalen said. “We got permission from the Department of Agriculture and it’s all about getting the word out regarding hemp and the history of hemp and how it can play a big part in our future, especially here in Pahrump,” Whalen said. We are putting the call out to anyone who is interested in getting involved.”

The need for local growers

Whalen said he has located hemp buyers for those interested in farming the hemp.

“We are looking for entrepreneurs for people to grow and sell their product,” he said. “The Nevada Hemp Association will basically take them by the hand, walk them through the application process. We will discuss seed selection and whatever we can do to help them out. We have other members who also are willing to advise them, and at the end of the season, we will have buyers. California is not growing and Arizona is not growing hemp.”

Whalen noted that each grower will produce the same strain of hemp. He said the Nevada CBD variety, is “highly regarded” in the industry.

CBD is the abbreviation for cannabidiol, a term regarding the potency of marijuana.

“Nevada has an 11.8 percent CBD level which is a very, very powerful medicine we have growing here in Pahrump,” he said. “The goal is to grow the same strain and make Pahrump a medicinal industrial marijuana locale. Washington state and Oregon, both have a pretty robust industry. The CBD wholesale price for CBD paste right now is about $25,000 per kilo.”

Additional hemp uses

Aside from its medicinal value, Whelan spoke of several other uses for hemp, including what’s known as “Hempcrete,” a building material made from industrial hemp, a lime binder, and water.

“Very simply, it’s like concrete,” he explained. “It is an ancient formula using hemp-lime and water. It’s what the Romans built their aqueducts with and there are numerous examples. The walls will continue to breathe for 120 years. They will take in carbon and release oxygen for 120 years. They are also fireproof and they repel insects, and it’s very lightweight.”

Pot goes high-tech

Another use for hemp fibers, Whelan said, speaks directly to the high-tech industry.

Whelan said a patent for hemp fibers is held by Dr. David Mitlin of New York.

Mitlin, Whelan said, was the keynote speaker at the American Chemical Society convention a few years ago, where Mitlin created a method to turn ordinary hemp waste into a composite that proved to be a cheaper supercapacitor.

Supercapacitors are used in applications requiring rapid charge and discharge cycles, rather than long-term compact energy storage, within cars, buses, trains, cranes and elevators, Whelan said.

“Hemp denotes fiber, medicine and now hemp batteries,” he noted. “The Tesla-type batteries are supercapacitors. They come in after the harvest and scoop up the trash. They basically get the inside fibers and convert them through heating, which creates carbon nano-fibers. They are a thousand times cheaper. Instead of a three-hour recharge, they recharge in just six minutes.”

Focusing on real crimes

With legal recreational marijuana on the horizon in Nevada, Whelan said, law enforcement agencies can begin to target their efforts on real criminal activities, rather than busting pot smokers and growers.

“With the onset of recreational marijuana, law enforcement can focus on real crimes rather than busting people for possession of marijuana and that should have happened years ago,” he said. “Many people have worked for many years on activism and now it’s time. This is like the weirdest dream I’ve ever had. I have been an activist for 20 years.”

Geographically, Whelan said the Pahrump Valley is one of the ideal regions to grow high-potency marijuana.

“The interesting thing about Pahrump is we are on the 38.2 degrees north parallel, which means we’re in line with Morocco, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are known for their potent hashish,” he noted. “The climate and elevation here are just perfect for growing.”

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes