Making moonshine from marijuana: Vermont state House approves hemp cultivation for ethanol

In Vermont, the state House has approved a measure that would permit the cultivation of hemp in the state, subject to federal approval. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration regards hemp and marijuana as the same plant, although bill supporters say that the active element in marijuana can be reduced nearly to zero in industrial hemp.

Hemp can be used as an ethanol feedstock, raising the possibility that, in the future, biofuels could be made from dope using a fermentation process also used to make moonshine whiskey.

North Dakota has a similar law on the books, but farmers are not permitted by the DEA to cultivate hemp.

The state of Vermont has been working hard on taking a leading role in biofuels development. The Vermont Economic Progress Council awarded $1.7 million in job creation incentives to Mascoma to induce the company to relocate to the state. The introduction of hemp would certainly raise awareness of Vermont within the biofuels industry, although not perhaps a positive awareness in all corners.

Among the known feedstocks for ethanol, hemp is easily the most controversial because of the psychotropic properties of THC, a chemical found in all plants of the hemp (cannabis) family. Critics of DEA policy, which forbids the cultivation of hemp, point out that THC concentrations in industrial hemp are not sufficient for drug use.

Hemp is used throughout the world for paper, health foods, and rope, among other products. It is a fast growing plant, grows naturally in many parts of the US with no fertilizer or water inputs, and has a good energy returned on energy invested (EROEI) ratio.

In the United States, feral hemp, or “ditchweed”, continues to grow in at least 21 states where the DEA has eradication programs in place. The feral hemp is descended from plantings that date to the World War II “Hemp for Victory” program, when a shortage of raw materials led to a relaxation in the prohibition against hemp cultivation.

Henry Ford, in 1941, built a car out of 70 percent hemp fiber and powered it on hemp ethanol. Here is a YouTube video of the car in action.

Above: Henry Ford’s 1941 Hemp Car, which was constructed from hemp fiber and ran on hemp ethanol.

In the US, ethanol must be “de-natured”, or mixed with a small amount of gasoline, to make it undrinkable. In its pure form, ethanol is 200 proof alcohol and is also popularly known as “moonshine”, especially in regions such as Appalachia where it continues to be made by home brewers.

“Moonshiners” would often put their own product into their cars to make them run faster, one of the earliest known usages of ethanol as an automotive fuel. The sport of stock car racing evolved from races between “moonshiners”, which perhaps explains why the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has been more reluctant to embrace ethanol as a racing fuel. The Indy Racing League runs its cars on E100.

A modern-day Hemp Car toured the United States between July 4 and October 2, 2001, racking up 10,000 miles of travel in the process, and promoting the use of industrial hemp. The Mercedez Benz vehicle used hemp-based biodiesel as a fuel.

Above: The 2001 Hemp Car, which traveled 10,000 miles in 2001 across the United States promoting the use of industrial hemp.

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