I keep reading about all the hundreds of potential uses for hemp, but what every single article (including this one) fails to mention is how it compares to the products we use today.

This image from the article lists some of the multitude of uses for this amazing plant. But I'm left wondering...

• Paper products - Any plant can be made into paper, right? How does hemp paper compare to old-fashioned tree paper?
• Textiles - Is it as durable and comfortable as cotton?
• Moulded plastics - How does hemp plastic compare to other biological plastics?
• Body care products - How does it compare to all the other strange plants we put in these products?
• Construction - Is hempcrete as durable and practical as regular concrete?
• Livestock feed - Is it as nutritious as other plants we feed our livestock?
• Nutritional supplements - How does it compare to other supplements?
• Essential oils - Does it smell good enough that anyone would want it?
• Food - Is it nutritious? Does it taste good?

(Medicine is one of the few uses I honestly believe this plant has potential for.)

Fort he record: I support legalisation of marijuana and of growing hemp, but I think the debate needs more honesty and more depth. Most of the people advocating hemp legalisation only care about a single use of the plant; smoking it.