December, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

Hempseed oil processing plant re-locating in Barrie.

Hempseed oil processing plant re-locating in Barrie. The recently completed purchase of 48 acres six kilometers north of Barrie, highly visible and easily accessible by an exit from Highway 400, paves the way for the re-location of Canada's leading producer of hempseed food and oil products, Hempola Inc. The acreage has already been ploughed in preparation for next year's hemp planting and work will commence shortly on the restoration and renovation of the hundred year old barn on the property. The renovated barn will house administration, oil presses and warehousing when re-location is completed next spring.

The new Hempola headquarters will also be a centre for crop research and new product development and plans are being made for the construction of an interpretive centre, juice bar/cafe and outlet store on the site, with the ultimate objective of becoming an important addition to Huronia's range of popular tourist attractions.

Hempola Inc. markets hempseed food and cold-pressed hempseed oil products through national distributors throughout Canada and the U.S. and is North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on HEMPOLA products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

For more information, please contact Kelly Smith at 1-800-240-9215.

August 28, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

Alive Publication #203 September 1999 Issue HEMP SEED OIL: THE PROPER BALANCE By Kelly Smith

Hemp seed oil is an energizing new health food product of some significance. Its well-balanced polyunsaturated oil contains omega-6, omega-3 and GLA. The ratio of omega-6: omega-3 in polyunsaturated oils is a hotly debated subject, and omega-6 has had a lot of bad publicity lately. Some evidence links it to increased levels of cancer and heart disease. Foods that are typically high in omega-6 include sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower and cotton seed oil. These supermarket oils are highly processed. They are treated with sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid, bleached and usually heated to high temperatures. In this process they are converted to trans fatty acids which are linked to heart disease, cancer and to other diseases - not the polyunsaturated fat in its pure form. However, it's not logical that omega-6, an essential fatty acid required by every cell in the body to function, could cause disease! In fact, normal levels of EFAs stored in the body range widely but average about 4:1 (omega-6: omega-3). Omega-6 and omega-3 work intricately together at the cellular level. An excess of either can cause an imbalance in metabolism. An excess of omega-3 can be dangerous for people with clotting disorders or those on blood thinners. Individuals with asthma and diabetes may also have their symptoms exacerbated by too much omega-3. Excesses of omega-6 can also cause problems. The point is, a balance is important. Leading experts such the Scientific Review Committee of Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 approximately the range of 4:1 to 10:1. Hemp seed oil with its 3:1 ration is the closest naturally-occurring oil to this ideal. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are converted in our bodies to prostaglandins (short-lived, powerful hormone-like chemicals that regulate all cellular function). Many health problems and their symptoms are related to a deficiency or imbalance of EFAs and prostaglandins. THE MIGHTY EFA Heart disease and stroke are the top causes of death in Canadians. EFAs have been shown to reduce the risk of these diseases by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and reducing blood platelet coagulation. These fatty acids also reduce inflammation, making them beneficial for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. Calcium absorption is increased in our bodies when combined with EFAs, and is important in preventing osteoporosis and maintaining strong bones. EFAs have also been shown to facilitate insulin function for diabetics and improve T-cell function and immunity. Research is being done on multiple sclerosis, attention deficit disorder, depression, schizophrenia, PMS and menopause. These studies show supplementation can improve symptoms. Pregnant women should have sufficient levels of EFAs in their diets as fetuses require high levels for growth and brain development. Another bonus: hemp seed oil contains plant sterols that have been shown to reduce the risk of prostate and colon cancer and to lower cholesterol. Once opened, a bottle of hemp seed oil can last at least six months in your refrigerator. Although studies have been done that demonstrate the essential fatty acid configuration is maintained when the oil is heated, it is not recommended that you heat it past its smoke point. (160C) Excerpts from FATS THAT HEAL, FATS THAT KILL, by Udo Erasmus THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE RATIO Flax oil is our richest source of omega-3 fatty acids and provides a reliable way to make up for long-standing omega-3 deficiency. Up to 12 250 mL bottles of good quality flax oil consumed over the course of a few months can do wonders to reverse an omega-3 deficiency. However, long-term exclusive use of flax oil can result in omega-6 deficiency symptoms because flax oil contains three times more omega-3's than-6s. So what ratios would be healthy? Omega 6:omega-3 ratios found in diets vary from 1:2.5 (Inuit diets) through 6:1 (other traditional diets) to 20:1 (contemporary safflower and corn diets). The omega-6:omega-3 ratio in the brain is about 1:1. The ratio in our fat tissue is about 5:1. Other tissues are about 4:1. Our enzymes convert omega-6s only one-fourth as quickly as they convert omega-3s. To get equal conversion, then, the ratio in foods should be 4:1, but because omega-6s mediate degenerative conditions, the ratio should favor omega-3s, say 2:1 or 3:1. Such a ratio is found in hemp oil, which contains three omega-6s for each omega-3. It also contains 1.7 per cent GLA, giving omega-6 conversion a head start in making beneficial prostaglandins.

August 21, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

Alive Publication #202 August 1999 Issue 'HEMP SEED: FUNCTIONAL FOOD FOR THE FUTURE by Kelly Smith
Hemp is one of our oldest and most versatile plants and has been documented as far back as early as the 28th century BC.

Cannabis sativa, which is the Latin term for "useful hemp," is now making a comeback in the food and textile industries and Canada is leading the way. In March 1998, the Canadian Government passed new legislation allowing the cultivation of industrial hemp. Last year over 5,000 acres were harvested across the country. You can now find 100 per cent Canadian-grown hemp seed oil on the shelves of your local health food store. ENVIRO-HAPPY HEMP Hemp is an exceptionally hardy plant that grows well in our climate. It requires only some fertilizer in the spring to get it started and is generally grown free of herbicides and pesticides because it is so naturally resistant to pests. For the same reason, genetically engineering hemp is not considered. Once harvested, the seeds are thoroughly cleaned and should be cold pressed in the absence of light and oxygen, preserving the freshness of the oil. Read the label of any oil product you buy to make sure! Canadian hemp seed oil is produced with only the freshest viable grain possible. Nothing should be steam-sterilized or treated with radiation. The golden rule is "less is more:" less light, less heat, less processing. This pressing produces a high-quality polyunsaturated oil and seed cake (the crushed seed hulls). The oil can be eaten on its own, blended into other food products, blended into body care products or used as a lubricant and many other uses. The seed cake can be ground into flour, used to brew beer or added to animal feed. Lastly, the stalks of the plants are ground up and used in animal bedding, garden mulch and for pulp and paper. Hemp can actually be used in 25,000 potential products! AND IT WON'T MAKE YOU STUPID One of the most commonly asked questions is whether hemp seed oil has any psychoactivity: will it get anyone high? The answer is no. Cannabis satvia seeds do not contain any THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) which is the psychoactive substance found in its distant cousin marijuana. Hemp seed oil is truly unique. Approximately 80 per cent is polyunsaturated fat - the highest of any vegetable oil. Specifically, it contains the essential fatty acids (EFAs) linolenic acid (omega-6) and alpha linolenic acid (omega-3). These EFAs cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from our diets. Hemp seed oil also contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA), from which omega-6 is naturally converted. Modern day diets and sluggish enzyme activity often impair this conversion and cause GLA deficiency. Hemp seed oil solves this problem. No other single source oil has this ideal combination of EFAs! Nutrition experts generally recommend that, for EFAs to do their job effectively and provide optimal cell function, daily requirements must range from seven to 11 g of linolenic acid and from two to 3.5 g of alpha-linolenic acid. This can be obtained from one tablespoon of hemp seed oil. However, individuals who consume a diet high in saturated fats or trans fats will require more, as will people who are overweight or under a great deal of stress. KING OF COMPLETE PROTEIN The hemp seed is 35 percent oil, the richest source of EFAs in the plant kingdom. Of all plant-based sources, its 25 percent protein content - comprised of all eight essential amino acids - is second only to that of the soy bean. The protein in hemp seed is readily digestible, being primarily composed of edestin and albumin which are the components of human blood plasma. Hemp seed derivative products are ideal for ensuring that there is adequate complete and assimilable protein in the vegetarian diet. Hemp seeds can be ground into a rich, nutty tasting flour (45 percent protein) that adds a unique culinary and healthy twist to your baking. The flour is gluten free and has been approved by the celiac society as a safe ingredient for anyone suffering from this disorder. The best part of any hemp seed product is the taste! It has a wonderful nutty flavor that fits well into most recipes. Try the oil in salad dressing, pour it on pasta or pizza, mix it into humus, add the flour to your favorite bread or muffin recipe - the possibilities are endless! Hemp seed oil is a functional food that ensures an adequate intake of essential fatty acids and amino acids.

August 21, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

ONTARIO RESTAURANT NEWS Article - HEMP FEAST AT YMCA

Toronto - Guests at the annual Taste of the Community food tasting extravaganza got a first taste of a new product recently, from Mississauga-based Hempola Inc. and chef Daniel Claret. Claret of Daniel et Daniel cooked up crepes served with hemp perfumed sauce and made with Hempola flour. Both the flour and sauce are his creation. Hempola Inc. develops a variety of hemp seed products from hempseed Edible Oil to a collection of Hempola body care items. The Taste of Community event at the YMCA in Toronto is the signature fund-raiser for the YMCA Employment Centre's Foodservice Training Program. Chefs from sixteen Toronto restaurants, bakeries, and catering firms were on hand to create a variety of menus. The event was sponsored by RBC Dominion Securities while Cave Spring Cellars and Upper Canada Brewing Company supplied beverages for the chefs.

August 21, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

HEMP TIMES - WINTER 1999 Excerpts taken from article by Malcolm MacKennen ........
'ONTARIO RACES AHEAD'

About 70% of all Canadian manufacturing takes place in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Toronto, the hub of Canada and an urban jewel on the banks of Lake Ontario, has quickly become Hemp Central for the nation. Jay Blair of Joint Hempstock, Inc. grew 126 acres this past year just outside the city with six contracted farmers, and in '99 will undertake to bring up 1000 acres of certified organic hemp. Blair already has contracts with The Body Shop to produce the oil for their skin-care products, and will soon be marketing hemp fireplace logs that burn with zero ash and are virtually smoke-free. Ruth Shamai and David Hutchinson grew their certifiably organic hemp last year in Saskatchewan, 500 acres, of which the Body Shop snapped up half. Their Toronto company, R & D Hemp, received a C$60,000 grant from Health Canada in the industry's formative stages to research hemp oil. Hutchinson, a highly skilled plant breeder, studied 15 different varieties for yield, fatty-acid content, and the volume of oil the breed was able to produce, which has allowed R & D to move with authority into the hemp-oil market. However, no one is working the oil market as slickly as Greg Herriott. A former landscape designer, Herriott now runs his own advertising firm in Toronto concentrating on corporate identity packaging. But these days his firm is split into two separate wings - one handles the ads, the other handles Hempola. Hempola is one of Canada's first big hemp success stories. Five years ago Herriott became attuned to the approaching industry, and as a landscape designer, who in effect attempts to recreate nature, the notion of hemp roused his creative juices. In fact, Hempola products really started out as fodder for Herriott's Advertising's promo, to show clients how Herriott Advertising handles graphic design projects. But simultaneously, Herriott became his own client. By relying on his own gift in marketing, and "calling upon the experts" to perfect the product, Hempola products leaped to the front of the hemp-oil marketplace and are now distributed across Canada and the US. It's clear that Herriott has been successful in accomplishing his "mission of a value-added Holy Grail." He knows his expertise is in marketing. With that in his pocket, Herriott approaches parties who demonstrate excellence and share common philosophies. To watch Herriott in action is an exercise in easy-going entrepreneurship. He enlists massage therapists for input on the best blend for new massage oils. At restaurants, he offers Hempola food oil to chefs for trial. At Daniel et Daniel, Toronto's foremost full-service catering outfit, Herriott has depended upon his friendship with star chef Daniel Claret, a fellow wind surfer, to see Hempola oil make its way into the awards-winning recipes he conjures up. In fact, Claret has supplied invaluable insight into an incipient salad-dressing line. "My goal has always been "the perfect oil" to make the best in soap, the best in moisturizers and massage oils and, of course the best in food oil." But Herriott adds sagely, "People don't understand what it takes to get a product into the public eye. You can't just give them a product. You've gotta tell them about it." Or you could just let them taste it - not the soaps or moisturizers or massage oil, but Hempola food oil. Herriott made sure that this reporter was well-versed in Hempola's varietal nature, jazzing up pizza and a pasta for me with Hempola Best of all were the creations of Daniel Claret, who delighted our palates with exquisite hemp crepes styled with the soon-to-be released Hempola hemp flour. Hempola is adamant about education and talks up hemp's benefits, while disregarding the shrill warnings about "THC" that the DEA continues to blare. Herriott tests out his products for the THC at four parts per million, an untraceable amount, and sees the THC question as the DEA's last-ditch effort to contaminate hemp with anti-marijuana prejudice. "The fact is, North America's natural-food products industry is being fuelled by an increased sense of concern over dietary issues," asserts Herriott. "And I'm astounded at the increased perception of the public concerning hemp oil and its healthy properties. What it boils down to is, people have become much more aware of the foundless arguments of the DEA." When asked about his ability to fast-track Hempola to this point of success, Herriott modestly concedes, "I think I have a strong capacity for vision. If you try to engage the senses to imagine what action is best to take, but also envision the possibilities that may occur and your reaction to them, then you increase your chances of succeeding."

August 21, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC MARCH/APRIL 1999 HEMP MANIA Reviving an all-purpose plant OPPORTUNITY - excerpts from article by Phil Jenkins

Across the country, agronomists pricked up their ears. Jack Moes, a tall studious man from Brandon, Man., was instrumental in kick-starting hemp research in the prairies the summer after Kime and Strobel's pioneering crop. As a government new-crops agronomist, Moes ordered a bit of seed from Kime, as well as a sample from the Ukraine. "In the 1920s," says Moes, "Portage la Prairie was a centre for commercial hemp. The Manitoba Cordage Company was going strong then and the province grew over 1,000 acres of hemp annually. My gut feeling was that we could make this work again, but it was, and is, going to be work. I don't know of any new crop that happens easily." By the mid-1990's, cultivating hemp had also gained a certain appeal for ministers of agriculture: it had job and revenue potential. Manitoba's agriculture minister, Harry Enns, earned himself the sobriquet "Harry Hemp" for the enthusiasm with which he got behind the revival. It has fallen to Health Canada to issue the first hemp research permits, rather than Agriculture Canada, because cannabis was originally outlawed for the neurological effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Hemp and marijuana both contain the mood-altering component. Hemp, however, has only trace amounts of the substance, whereas to-grade, hydroponically-grown marijuana, which connoisseurs label "gold", tests out at around 20 percent. Smoking any part of a mature hemp plant induces no pleasant reaction: it would be like tearing out, rolling up, and smoking this page. Hemp advocates, recalling hemp's glory days as the raw material for rope, sum up the disparity between hemp and marijuana in the neat phrase "rope not dope." Bill C-8, the Controlled Substances Act, which began its passage through Parliament in 1996, acknowledged the distinction between hemp and marijuana. Health Canada set up a section with the action-movie title The Industrial Hemp Project to outline the relevant regulations. At its heart was the spectre of a loophole that would allow marijuana to be grown with a government seal of approval. To close the hold, the differences has to be defined. After much anguished debate, Health Canada decided to set the line between the cannabis cousins as 0.3 percent THC. Farmers would have to have the top third of the mature plants analyzed and if it tested out above 0.3, it would be considered narcotic, and illegal. The law also stated that no one could sell whole plants and, as a way of keeping things serious, the minimum plot size allowable was 10 acres for commercial cultivation, one acre for seeds. And there would be routine checks. During the spring of 1998, farmers across the land began filling in forms. In the first week of an exceptionally warm spring - the eleventh hour for getting a crop in the ground - the first licenses went out. Health Canada has received 374 applications for commercial licences of which 269 were successful - all but 61 of those from Ontario and Manitoba. Over the next few weeks, those farmers put in a crop already grown in roughly 25 other countries around the world. >From the top of the escarpment that runs through Riding Mountain National Park in central Manitoba, the view is an unending mosaic of arable farmland. A few years ago, most of it bore the beige flag of wheat, but when the Crow rate, which subsidized the transportation of grain, was removed and government insurance for low prices phased out, the quilt of cultivation took on new colours. Last summer, the green plots of hemp belonging to the Saquet family from France, who first settled at the foot of the escarpment in 1906, clearly stood out in the pattern. It's a shade of green a painter would call royal. The Saquet farm is near the distinctly Franco-Manitoban town of Laurier, where hemp is called le chanvre. In 1994, Rene Saquet saw an article in the Winnipeg Free Press about Kime and Strobel's company. "I was interested right away, keen to produce Canadian; stock seed," he says. He got a research permit and planted the first three acres behind the workshop, surrounding it with corn to discourage would-be thieves who might mistake it for marijuana. "Actually, the hemp grew taller than the corn." Starting with, naturally, French hemp seed, the Saquets fine-tuned their yield of pounds of seed per acre over the next two years. A crop is judged by the dollars per acre it renders: the pounds of seed harvested multiplied by the price per pound at the moment of sale, minus expenses. (Farmers have never really accepted the metric system.) As a bench mark, a crop that yields $400 an acre, such as high-grade canola, earns most-favoured status. By the spring of 1998, the Saquets had no doubt about going commercial. "Nothing we'd seen grew like hemp," says Rene. Moreover, the family had already been courted for their crop from both sides of the border, by the venture capitalists Consolidated Growers and Processors out of Monterey, California, and by the Ontario firm Hempola, a retailer of hemp oil-based products looking to be among hemp's avant-garde. Intensely Canadian, the Saquets, along with other Manitoba farmers, merged with Hempola to form Prairie Hemp. Last summer, its contracted farmers planted 512 acres of hemp, which did indeed grow like Jack's beanstalk. On the Saquets' personal field, two months after seeding, the crop was taller than a basketball player and the family faced the comic but vital task of weeding out the undesired male plants before they produced pollen and fertilized the oil-bearing seed. Various Saquet children were stationed on tractor roofs with binoculars. From these lofty vantage points, they directed their fathers, who had been outfitted with projecting red flags tied to their backs, through the maze to the male plants destined for decapitation. HEMP: the all purpose plant Upscale automobile manufacturer BMW is incorporating hemp into car doors and dashboards, designer Giorgio Armani is weaving it into clothes, and chefs at five-star restaurants are sprinkling it on salads. Less than a year after commercial cultivation of the plant became legal again, there are retail products of every description produced from hemp's fiber and oil-producing seed crops. At the time hemp farming was banned, there were a reported 25,000 uses of hemp. Today, Ontario's Hempline lists such diverse uses as: Building materials: insulation, particle board, medium-density fibreboard. Cordage: rope twine, yarn. Fuel: methanol, heating oil. Hemp-core chips: horse-stable bedding and, when mixed with manure, compost. Personal health and hygiene: from salad oils and other food products to pharmaceuticals and soaps. Plastics: cellophane, phenol. Pulp and paper products: diapers, newsprint, cardboard, filters, non-woven and absorbent paper. Textiles: clothing, carpets, curtains, upholstery. Other: paint and ink. By October, several weeks later than usual - it had been a funny year for weather - the killing frosts finally arrived on the prairies and knocked off the lower leaves of the hemp. Sunshine followed the frost, drying the seed heads, which were then ready for harvesting. In went the combines and mowers. Prairie Hemp lost one field to a freak hail storm in mid-July, but managed to bring in the rest - although it was far from smooth sailing. The sheer, tough mass and length of hemp meant that farmers spent hours tugging and chopping tangles of stalks free of whichever bit of machinery they had wrapped around. There would be much cutting and welding in their workshops over the winter to make the combines and mowers more hemp-friendly this summer. In southwestern Ontario, Kime and other farmers interested only in the long, strong bast fibers in the stalk, leveled their fields in mid-August and allowed the stalks to soften. Walking into stands of hemp ahead of the machines revealed them to be weed-free underfoot with round stems the size of dimes and heads level with the combine's cabin window. After harvest, standing beside bales of fiber that had gone through the cutting machine he designed, Kime allowed, "It's going to be very pleasant to be receiving cheques instead of writing them." His processed fiber will end up as carpeting and upholstery. Across the country, the harvest moon waxed and waned. From British Columbia to the fertile Annapolis Valley, where hemp was first planted nearly four centuries ago, the fields of '98 matured and were gathered. On a 250-acre organic farm in the Eastern Townships, a year after getting the first research license in Quebec, the father-and-son team of Jerzy and Sasha Przytyk was "dancing". Despite the fact that a commercial license did not land in their mailbox until June 26, their Finnish hemp yielded more than 1,000 pounds of seed an acre. Research in Poland had led the Prdzytyks into hemp farming for oil. The strain grew short with a seed that, when pressed, has a nuttier flavour than the grassier lowland varieties and is easier to combine than loftier hemp. To date, the largest hemp operation in Canada is centered in the small Ontario community of Pain Court, which is French for short or small bread. There's nothing small about Kenex Ltd., however Jean Laprise, its pragmatic president, claims direct descendent from pioneer hemp grower Louis Hebert. A stone's throw from Chatham, Laprise contracted 50 farmers to sow 2,000 acres - about 30 percent of all licensed acres in Canada - and 30 percent of all the licensed acres in Canada - and process the resulting fiber and seed, on site in a six-line mill. About half the Paint Court harvest went south of the border, though Laprise would just as soon sell it all here. The Americans are reckoned to be years away from re-hemping, although the tobacco-growing state of Kentucky, once the hemp-basket of America, is keen to mimic Canada and its politicians are lobbying hard in Washington. Clearly, hemp fares well against the forces of nature, but how will it prevail against market forces? If the initial demand for hemp is high and the price looks good, farmers will need to avoid going overboard and over planting; it's happened before. Now, more than ever, agriculture is a global business, and the parts of the world that never stopped growing hemp are certain to want to infiltrate our domestic market. At the retail end, Ontario-based Hempola has product labels standing by for everything from lip balm to paint. After its fields survived a 70-centimetre snowfall in early October, R & D Hemp of Saskatchewan sold about half its organic oil to The Body Shop, which promptly put out a best-welling line of skin-care products. Hemp's oil contains nutritious proteins and essential fatty acids, including gamma linoleic acid, which has been shown to boost the immune system. These virtues will guarantee hemp oil a future in nutriceuticals - an industry always in search of a lifesaver. Hemp's wilder disciples, more evangelical than scientific, boast that it is pest-and disease-free, but no organism can claim that. In fact, hemp plays host to a legion of insets and diseases - more than 300 of them worldwide - of which the vast majority are benign. "There's sclerotinia," says Manitoba's Moes, "which leads to moldy lesions on the stalk; everything above the lesions dies. And a cyclical pest called Bertha army worm has a healthy appetite for hemp. It arrives, stays for three years, then goes away for nine years or so." Bertha last peaked on the prairies in 1995. You can salvage fiber if Bertha has been at it, but not the seeds. Still, hemp's eco-image, a strong selling point, would be tarnished if it were treated with chemical pesticides. Despite the possibility of infestations, hemp certainly deserves to be back in crop rotation - the strongest defense farmers have against that great jester, nature, which seems never to deal four acres in four straight years. Once the technology for getting hemp fiber off the fields is running smoothly, it does have an assured future; a return to tree-free paper is long overdue. As for seed oil, since its last appearance in the 1930s, there has arisen a considerable cohort of consumers who are prepared to pay higher prices for nature foods and cosmetics. There are still plenty of maybes in the fields for Cannabis sativa L., but agriculture's Rip Van Winkle has indeed awoken and looked hard into the sun. Soon the seed will be cast again, and this summer, if you are out for a country drive near London, Ont., Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park, or any of a hundred other farms across the country, keep an eye out for tight, tall swathes of royal green. That's hemp, the sequel, come again to a field near year.

August 03, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

ARTICLE FROM MARKHAM ECONOMIST & SUN August 3, 1999

"HEMP SHOULD BE FOUND IN EVERYONE'S KITCHEN: THE PLANT HAS RECEIVED A DUBIOUS REPUTATION, BUT IS ACTUALLY RICH IN PROTEIN AND PROTECTS AGAINST CANCER. By Lisa Cartwright - Features Writer

Hemp should be an ingredient in kitchens across the country. "I would love to see it as a staple in everybody's kitchen", said Kelly Smith, Vice-President and co-founder of Hempola, a Port Severn-based company that produces a variety of hemp products. Hemp is a distant cousin to the marijuana plant and doesn't produce a high. "It looks the same. It smells the same, but you can never get a high. You can smoke a whole field of it or drink a gallon of hempseed oil and never feel any effect", Smith said. (Industrial hemp has trace amounts of THC. Each crop is tested to make sure the count is lower than 10 parts per million.) After more than six decades, the Canadian government has legalized growing industrial hemp. Prior to its classification as a drug in 1938, industrial hemp was a huge industry in Canada. Canadian farmers, who have earned government approval, are now able to grow industrial hemp for uses that include hempseed oil and flour for cooking and baking, body care products, fabric and pulp and paper, among others. "There are more than 25,000 uses for hemp", Smith said. HEMP IS A NUTRITIOUS ALTERNATIVE Hemp, which is grown pesticide-and herbicide-free and is hardy enough to survive Canada's climate, is a nutritious alternative for those seeking food sources that are high in protein and other important nutrients. Once harvested, hemp seeds are removed from the plant and the oils extracted. The oil found in hempseeds contains the highest amount of essential fatty acids of all vegetable sources. Essential fatty acids, which include omega-6, omega-3 and gamma linolenic acids, help the body maintain good health. Essential fatty acids also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, reduces the risk of stroke and blood clots, reduces the risk of osteoporosis by increasing the absorption of calcium, reduces inflammation and the effects of osteoarthritis, eczema and psoriasis, increases immunity and improves vitamin and mineral absorption. "Approximately 80 per cent of Hempola hempseed oil is polyunsaturated fat or EFAs," Smith said. That means people require only one tablespoon of hempseed oil a day to get their required amount of essential fatty acids. (People require two to three tablespoons of flaxseed oil to receive the same benefit.) Studies have shown the essential fatty acids found in hemp skincare products are absorbed by the skin. And unlike other vegetable-based oils, when hempseed oil is heated, it does not turn into trans fatty acids, which have been linked to cancer.) Hempseeds are also a natural antioxidant, which help prevent cancer. After the oil is extracted, the seeds are further crushed into a flour which can be used in baking. A heavy flour, it can be substituted into any recipe. Smith suggested people use one third hemp flour, blended with other flour. There is 45 per cent protein in hemp flour as well as nine essential amino acids. The flour is also gluten-free and hemp rarely causes allergic reaction. In addition to the nutritional value, hemp provides a unique nutty taste, perfect for almost any dish. People can use the oil for dipping breads, pouring it on vegetables, in salad dressing and in thousands of other recipes. Smith suggested when purchasing hemp products, people should look for items grown in Canada.

July 21, 1999 For Immediate Release| return to index |

Soothe, refresh, stimulate or revive - match the needs of the moment to the massage oil of choice!

After nine months of research, blending and testing at massage therapy clinics in Mississauga, Ontario, four new HEMPOLA Massage Oils are finally ready for the ultimate test - the consumer! Hempola Inc. has been working in association with Beata Zaranek, a veteran massage therapist who originally trained in Poland, to develop the new massage oils. Zaranek and professional therapists at Mississauga's Injury Management Centre and YMCA have designed and tested blends of HEMPOLA hempseed oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil and various steam distilled essential oils to create the four most effective massage oils they have ever used. The therapists consider hempseed oil perfect as a "carrier" oil because it is absorbed very quickly into the skin and has a superior penetrating capability, yet provides a desirable level of lubrication for effective massage treatment. This ensures both remedial efficacy of the hempseed oil itself and powerful therapeutic benefits from the blend of essential oils that it is "carrying". Hempseed oil's strength is derived from the high levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs) it contains - at eighty per cent of its volume, it has the highest EFA content of all vegetable seed oil sources. Used in massage therapy, they penetrate the skin, remoisturizing and reviving dry cells and helping to repair damage whether caused by weather elements, poor nutrition disease or injury. Clinical studies have been undertaken to prove that topical application of EFAs markedly improves hydration and elasticity of the skin. HEMPOLAT is the trademark of Hempola Inc. which develops and markets hempseed products through a network of national distributors throughout Canada and the US, and supplies bulk quantities to industry world-wide. As North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products, Canada's Hempola Inc. is structured to include growers, researchers, new product development and international marketing. More information may be obtained on Hempola Inc. and HEMPOLAT products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web. For more information, please contact Kelly Smith at 1-800-240-9215. -30-

My 6, 1999 For immediate release.   | return to index |

Hemp Crepes are the hit of the show at TASTE OF THE COMMUNITY '99.

Daniel et Daniel's crepes with HEMPOLA sauce find favour at YMCA fund-raiser.

Toronto chef and pioneer in the development of recipes featuring entirely natural, nutraceutical hempseed oil, Daniel Claret of Daniel et Daniel, successfully showcased his first hemp flour recipe at this year's Taste of the Community food tasting extravaganza. The crepes, made with recently launched HEMPOLA Flour and served complete with Daniel's unique hemp "perfumed" sauce, captured the appreciation and approval of the several hundred guests who sampled a tantalizing menu, created for the show, by chefs from sixteen of the city's top restaurants, bakeries and catering firms.

Now in it's third year, Taste of the Community celebrates Toronto's rich culinary diversity and is the signature fund-raiser for the YMCA Employment Centre's Foodservice Training program. RBC Dominion Securities is the primary sponsor and beverages, selected to complement the chefs' efforts, are provided by Cave Spring Cellars and Upper Canada Brewing Company.

HEMPOLA is the trademark of Hempola Inc. which develops and markets hempseed products through a network of national distributors throughout Canada and the US, and supplies bulk quantities to industry world-wide. As North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products, Canada's Hempola Inc. is structured to include growers, researchers, new product development and international marketing.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

April 27, 1999 For immediate release.   | return to index |

Hempola Inc. begins development of Canada's premier hempseed food processing facility.

Research and Development project approved for I.R.A.P. funding.

With commercial hemp cultivation permitted in Canada and with growers in place for the second hemp harvest, the next challenge for hemp industry pioneer, Hempola Inc., is the research and development of methods and procedures designed to produce hempseed oil and seed cake with optimum fatty acid and anti-oxidant levels.

Funding from the Industrial Research Assistance Program (I.R.A.P.), over the next few months, will underwrite consultation with established European hemp processors and examination of process technologies to identify and acquire equipment appropriate to hempseed processing. Following installation of equipment, hemp grain samples produced from different plant varieties, geographical locations, cultivation practices and seed cleaning methods will be processed under highly controlled conditions. Nutritional analysis of the oil produced will enable Hempola Inc. to develop proprietary procedures in producing the finest hempseed oil available for use both by itself and as an ingredient of functional foods and nutraceutical products.

The I.R.A.P. program provides funding for technical labour in the development of new products for which market demand can be conclusively demonstrated. The importance of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet is becoming increasingly recognized, by the health and nutrition professions, creating potentially large markets for new and existing hempseed oil products as a result of its unique EFA ratio, gamma linolenic acid content and anti-oxidant levels. A supplementary market for high protein hemp flour, milled from seed cake remaining after the pressing process and containing beneficial EFAs, minerals and anti-oxidants, is also evident - a fact which reinforces the mandate of Hempola Inc. to maintain quality control by developing proprietary procedures from seed selection and planting, through cultivation and harvest to the processing of hemp grain into oil and flour products of the highest possible caliber.

Hempola Inc. develops and markets hempseed products through a network of national distributors throughout Canada and the US, and supplies bulk quantities to industry world-wide. As North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products, Canada's Hempola Inc. is structured to include growers, researchers, new product development and international marketing.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

April 16, 1999 For immediate release.   | return to index |

Macho sauce wins, but makers of a trendy new salad dressing are happy with second place! HEMPOLAú Salad Dressing receives runner-up award at the Canadian Fine Food Show.

In a close three-way race for the Dressing/Seasoning ãOscarä at The Canadian Fine Food Show, the newly launched hempseed oil-based HEMPOLAú Honey Dijon Salad Dressing was ultimately edged out by a gourmet barbecue sauce called Cattle Boyz. Being a runner-up in the exalted company of the finalists selected from hundreds of competing products in the sixteen categories, is more than enough for the new kid on the block at this year's Show... for now!

A joint production of the Canadian Association of Specialty Foods and Meteor Show Productions, the Canadian Fine Food Show is Canada's only show exclusively targeted to the specialty retail and foodservice industry and attracts discerning chefs and buyers from across North America. The 1999 show featured the largest number of domestic and imported products yet and many of the country's leading chefs were on hand both in the Demonstration Kitchen and to autograph their latest books for visitors.

After more than two years in research and development, the perfectly balanced essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio of this latest HEMPOLA product is changing long-held perceptions of salad dressing -- a dressing that is as functional as the nutritious salad ingredients it flavours has not been marketed before. The three HEMPOLA Salad Dressing varieties -- Traditional (non-creamy) Caesar, Herbalicious Vinaigrette and The Canadian Fine Food Show finalist, Honey Dijon -- are now available from natural health food stores and selected supermarket chains across North America.

Hempola Inc. develops and markets hempseed and cold-pressed hempseed oil products through national distributors throughout Canada and the U.S. along with bulk sales to industry worldwide. Since its initial product launch four years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products. Based in Canada, the company's structure includes growers, researchers, product development, through to international marketing. More information may be obtained on HEMPOLA products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

April 13, 1999 For immediate release.   | return to index |

First functional salad dressing is 50% oversold on first production run! Highlight of three natural products trade shows, Hempola Salad Dressings sell out each time.....

After more than two years in development, the perfectly balanced essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio of the latest Hempola product is changing long held perception of salad dressings.

First at San Francisco's Wholelife Expo, then Anaheim's Natural Products Expo West, then Vancouver's Canadian Health Food Association's Expo West the uniquely functional salad dressing drew enthusiastic response from the Hempola booth's many visitors. One exciting mark of the product's success was its instant listing in the long established Southern California based Mother's Market and Kitchen chain. And, on the home front, the new product is a finalist in the dressings category of the Canadian Fine Food Show Product Competition.

The three Hempola Salad Dressing varieties-Caesar (non-creamy), Herbalicious Vinaigrette and Honey Dijon- are available from natural health food stores and selected supermarket chains across North America. Hempola Inc. received Industrial Research Assistance Program (I.R.A.P) funding for technical labour in the development of this functional food. This Canadian government program assists in the development of products for which market demand is clearly demonstrated. In this case, conclusive evidence was shown by the swift growth in sales of Hempola Hempseed Oil as well as the clearly indicated importance of EFAs in the diet and consequent potential for more hempseed oil products.

Hempola Inc. markets hempseed and cold-pressed hempseed oil products through national distributors throughout Canada and the U.S. Since its initial launch four years ago Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products. Hempola Inc.oversees all aspects of production of its products from cultivation of seeds to cold pressing to research and development and manufacturing.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

March 23rd, 1999 For immediate release.  | return to index |

HEMPOLAú Cold Pressed Hempseed Oil Dietary Supplement is here!

New, affordable balanced EFA supplement in soft gel capsules provides an optimal balance of EFAs plus naturally occurring GLA.

Clinical research shows that insufficient essential fatty acid (EFA) levels lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and impaired healing, cell growth, vision and neurological function; that these conditions will, respectively, lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney afflictions, diabetes complications and neurological diseases; and that excess or deficiency of one EFA impacts negatively on the function of the other. With its perfect balance of EFAs, and naturally occurring GLA, hempseed oil is superior to other vegetable seed oils as a source of these essential nutrients.

The gel capsule supplement has been developed for use in situations where liquid HEMPOLAú Hempseed Oil is not practicable. Such instances are:

Because hempseed oil has an optimal ratio of EFAs, production of the dietary supplement is less costly than the development and production of other balanced EFA supplements, resulting in Hempola Cold Pressed Hempseed Oil Dietary Supplement being far more affordable than other balanced EFA supplements currently available.

Hempola Inc. markets hempseed and cold-pressed hempseed oil products through national distributors throughout Canada and the U.S.A. Since its initial product launch three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

February 23rd, 1999 For immediate release.  | return to index |

Essential fatty acid configuration maintained when Hempola hempseed oil is heated for cooking! German university studies prove stability of hempseed oil when heated to temperature levels required for cooking.

It is well documented that frying, or heating oils to high temperatures produces trans fats (or bad fats) and these trans fats are associated with increased rates of heart disease and cancer. New research done by H. Molleken in Germany has now proven that heating hempseed oil does not produce these bad fats. A number of hempseed oil samples were heated at different temperature levels for predetermined periods of time and analyzed for changes to their fatty acid structure.

Temperatures up to 250 degrees C did not lead to changed configurations in the EFA's or to any increase in trans-fatty acids after 30 minutes, proving hempseed oil to be perfectly suitable for light sautéing and baking.

Hempseed oil is a very unique oil in that it contains high levels of anti-oxidants called gamma-tocopherols which stabilize the oil. These anti oxidants prevent the oil from going rancid and allow it to be heated to high temperatures. "This opens up a whole new area of food preparation says Hempola "co-founder Kelly Smith. " We have created many exciting new recipes in our kitchens. HEMPOLA hempseed oil makes delicious muffins, soups, pasta sauces and breads, to name just a few.

HEMPOLA's flavourful unique taste-already highly regarded by consumers and chefs alike - and its excellent nutrition qualities makes it the oil of choice in modern diets. HEMPOLA hempseed oil provides the highest amount of essential fatty acids (EFA's) of any plant. Required by the human body for optimal good health. EFA's can only be acquired from food sources and , with a 3:1 ratio of Omega 6(linoleic acid) to Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid) and GLA (gamma linolenic acid) content, Hempola presents a near perfect dietary EFA combination.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

February 16th, 1999 For immediate release.  | return to index |

NEW HEMPOLA Flour- a protein/EFA/mineral combination comparable to soy flour....without the allergen factor.

High quality dietary protein and polyunsaturates in a new, tasty alternative flour.

The increasingly popular flavour of hempseed and a desirable combination of protein, EFA's and minerals is now available in a baking ingredient. replacing a quarter to a half of the recipe requirement for flour, Hempola Flour adds interest, nutrients and a whole new taste dimension to breads, muffins, crepes, home-made pastas and a lot more...

Like soy flour, hempseed flour is ideal for ensuring that there is adequate complete and assimilable protein in the vegetarian diet. Unlike soy flour, the likelihood of its being allergenic is far less.

The advent of Hempola Flour is expected to prove especially timely for the bakery industry. There is a consistently growing demand for specialty breads today, and "hemp" bread will definitely attract attention and bring customers back for more.

Hempola Inc. markets hempseed and cold-pressed oil products through national distributors throughout Canada and the USA. Since its initial product launch three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products.

More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web. For more information, please contact Kelly Smith at 1-800-240-9215.

 

Hempola amongst prominent figures at Washington DC conference.

At the annual conference of the North American Industrial Hemp Council, held in Washington DC, November 5 to 7, 1998, Mr. Greg Herriott, Founder and President of Hempola Inc., a Canadian corporation, was in fine company as he presented the steps involved in effectively developing a successful business based on products made with industrial hemp.

"We need to support the efforts of our neighbors to the north," stated Ralph Nader, in his keynote speech to the more than 300 delegates. He went on to say, "Canada has another first over the US. This fall they harvested their first crop of industrial hemp in more than sixty years." Dr. Nader prescribed a conceptual plan of action for the US industry advocates to speed up the process of government approval and the draft of regulations to allow commercial cultivation in the US. The US is estimated to be at least three years behind Canada in legally allowing farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Another prominent figure-head, Anita Roddick, Founder & Co-Chair of the Body Shop International PLC, outlined her company's experiences in recently launching their line of hemp body care products worldwide. "Our mandate with this product line is to support the farmers," she stated, "the farmers are the ones losing out on this wonderful crop. It truly is an amazing oil. You know today, with all the products being made around the world using hemp, we could build a hotel."

In describing some of Hempola's experiences, Mr. Herriott pronounced the strong need and effectiveness in educating consumers about the powerful attributes of products made from hemp. "The success to date with Hempola product sales is based on a consistent education campaign describing the virtues of hemp. We totally disregard hemp's association to marijuana in our messages. It's completely unfair to lump the two plants together."

Hempola Inc. produces edible cold-pressed hempseed oil, award-winning body care products and its latest introduction -- high-protein baking flour. A number of new products will also be introduced in the near future. HEMPOLA products are currently marketed through national distributors and health food stores throughout Canada and the USA. Since its initial product launch less than three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products.

More information may be obtained on Hempola by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

October 27th, 1998 For immediate release.   | return to index |

Hempola announces R&D plans for developing the Canadian hemp industry.

At the first annual Hemp Farming and Equipment Convention held recently in Winnipeg, Canada, Greg Herriott, President and Founder of Hempola Inc., announced the company's plans for research and development to further develop the hemp industry in Canada and strengthen HEMPOLA's leadership position.

The R&D program will be a series of phases. "The first step," Mr. Herriott states, "is to determine a Quality Benchmark for Canadian grown hempseed oil. Such factors as cultivation practices, variety selection, seed cleaning and drying along with varying technologies for oil pressing will be thoroughly analyzed to determine the best procedures for producing highest quality levels particularly for nutrition and flavour."

The first Canadian harvest is now complete and December, 1998 is the outlook for completion of this initial research phase. Looking further down the road, Herriott states the company will then take this consistent Quality Benchmarked oil and begin applying it to various clinical studies to determine specific health benefits as they apply to cardio-vascular disease and osteoporosis prevention. Ms. Kelly Smith, Vice President and Co-founder of Hempola Inc. notes, "we already have significant published data on the effectiveness of essential fatty acids as they relate to such diseases. What we will hopefully determine with these new studies, is how effective hemp is specifically, for reducing the risk of these diseases." HEMPOLA hempseed oil is touted to contain a near-perfect composition of essential fatty acids for optimum human health maintenance. HEMPOLA's long-term plan is to position its oil as the oil of choice for everyday consumption for flavour and health benefits.

Hempola Inc. produces edible cold-pressed hempseed oil, award-winning body care products and its latest introduction -- high-protein baking flour. A number of new products will also be introduced in the near future. HEMPOLA products are currently marketed through national distributors and health food stores throughout Canada and the USA. Since its initial product launch less than three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on Hempola by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

October 5th, 1998 For immediate release.   | return to index |

Hempola announces new bulk sales division

For the first time in the history of Canada and North America, HEMPOLA», through its grower organization, Prairie Hemp Ltd., has harvested close to 500,000 pounds of hemp seeds to be processed for food.

For the most part, these seeds will be turned into finest quality HEMPOLA» products. The company also intends to process and market bulk products -- primarily edible oil, baking flour and seed meal. As John Staines, Vice President Sales and Marketing at HEMPOLA» states, "with our seed now in, and our yields per acre way up, we can confidently process and market superior quality products for manufacturers around the world." John Staines will manage this new division.

After three years of field research, HEMPOLA» has determined which varieties of hemp will yield the best compositions of essential fatty acids and highest levels of natural antioxidants. As Kelly Smith, Co-founder and Vice President of Research and Corporate Development notes, "the quality of our oil and other products will rise dramatically. The two varieties we harvested are expected to double our GLA content and increase natural tocopherol levels as well... this means more nutritional value for consumers. The quality difference between our products previously made from sterilized imported seeds and our new Canadian grown viable seed will be significant."

HEMPOLA» will establish contracts and alliances with companies interested in researching, developing and marketing hemp products intended for functional foods, supplements, nutraceuticals and also industrial applications like paint, ink and lubricants.

Hempola Inc. markets edible cold-pressed hempseed oil and award-winning body care products, made with hempseed oil, through national distributors and health food stores throughout Canada and the USA. Since its initial product launch less than three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on HEMPOLA» by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

October 2nd, 1998 For immediate release.    | return to index |

The harvest is in...

	Greg Herriott, founder of HEMPOLA, holds some of the first seed heads from their history-making first crop of hemp for food.
	On a farm near Laurier, Manitoba in the Canadian prairies, this field combine is gathering the hemp grain and separating it from the useful fiber in the stems.

North America's first ever hemp crop, specifically grown for food, is ready for cold-pressing into HEMPOLA» Hempseed Oil! Canada's Hempola Inc. is, at last, enabled to make the switch to home-grown hempseed and, in addition to producing the popular HEMPOLA Hempseed Oil, it will begin to roll out an extended line of hempseed derivative products at affordable prices.

The HEMPOLA alliance of hemp growers, agronomists and researchers has produced a hemp harvest grown from seed varieties developed to produce the highest quality hempseed oil. and grown free of pesticides, fungicides and insecticides. In addition to hempseed oil's perfect Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acid ratio - the newly harvested hempseed will yield a gamma linolenic acid content in excess of 3%. Gamma linolenic acid, or GLA, is the essential fatty acid which is metabolized from Omega-6 linoleic acid. Modern day diets and sluggish enzyme activity, however, often impair this conversion causing GLA deficiency which, according to clinical studies, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, skin disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenic psychosis and even cancer.

Hempola Inc. markets edible cold-pressed hempseed oil and award-winning body care products, made with hempseed oil, through national distributors and health food stores throughout Canada and the U.S.A. Since its initial product launch less than three years ago, Hempola Inc. has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on HEMPOLA products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

 

March 16th, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

Hempola Inc. congratulates everybody involved in lobbying and legislation as Regulations for Canada's new commercial hemp industry come into force this week!

Senators Lorna Milne and Eugene Whelan, Manitoba Agriculture Minister Harry Enns, his Ontario counterpart Noble Villeneuve, Liberal Rural Caucus MPâs such as Rose-Marie Ur and Paul Steckle, Manitoba Agriculture crop specialists Jack Moes and Al Sturko, Roman Przybylski of the University of Manitoba and everybody who took part in the Canadian Industrial Hemp Lobby and the Multi-Stakeholder Workshops, the representatives from the Departments of Agriculture and Agri-Foods, Industry, Environment, Justice, Solicitor General, Health Canada, Revenue Canada (Customs) and the RCMP who developed the Regulations and Health Minister Allan Rock, who published them...

So many people have been involved in the movement to re-create the Canadian hemp industry which was terminated in 1938, when the cultivation of industrial hemp was banned due to misunderstanding and confusion over its relationship to the narcotic marijuana, that it is impossible to name them all,  says Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith. Hempola Inc., however, is proud to have been counted among this company of environmentally-aware Canadians who see the future opportunities for hemp products in both the domestic and export

The Canadian company has been marketing cold-pressed edible Hempola hempseed oil and award-winning Hempola body care products directly to the public and through health food stores for more than two years. During this relatively short period of time it has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. The new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp and its plans to develop processing facilities as a partner in a proposed Manitoba hemp growers co-operative, will enable Hempola Inc. to expand both lines of products derived from hempseed oil, meal and seed cake and, in addition, move into the nutritional supplement sector with a hempseed oil gel capsule. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

March 9th, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

Hempola Inc. is proud to be Canadian!

Minister of Health, Alan Rock, has truly positioned Canada as the true north strong and free with his February 26th announcement that the Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp will be in place in time for the seeds to be sown in time for North America's first commercial hemp harvest in sixty years!

As a prospective processor of some of this home-grown hemp, Hempola Inc. is proud to be Canadian. Already several years ahead of the United States in re-establishing a hemp industry, Canadian processors of industrial hemp derivatives will now be able to develop, process and market products expected to create millions of dollars in export revenues to the United States, in addition to meeting the continually increasing demand for hemp derivative products in Canada. A summer advertising campaign is currently being developed to promote Hempola products and underscore Canada's North American leadership position in the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp.

We are tremendously excited about the Only in Canada, eh! positioning that our industrial hemp industry will have in North America says Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith. our summer advertising campaign will feature ö as part of a sweepstakes prize of a trip to Manitoba ö a visit to see history in the making as hemp, once again, is harvested in North

A Canadian company, Hempola was established in 1995 to develop and market cold-pressed hempseed oil and derivative products. Consumer demand has steadily increased for Hempola edible oil since it was launched early in 1996 and the market for the more recently introduced Hempola body products is also showing excellent growth. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

March 2nd, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

Hempola Inc. plans Nutrition Supplement product.

Hempola hempseed oil provides the highest amount of essential fatty acids (EFA's) of any natural plant. The human body needs EFA's and can only acquire them through food sources. With a 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 or linoleic acid to Omega 3 or alpha linolenic acid, Hempola presents a near perfect EVA combination, plus it is the only vegetable seed oil containing Gamma Linoleum Acid, which is otherwise only available in expensive evening primrose and borage oil supplements. Roman Pryzybylskiâs research at the University of Manitoba is uncovering even more attributes of hempseed oil.

Hempola hempseed oils importance in terms of EFA composition is now increasingly being recognized by health professionals says Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith. We were recently invited to address members of the Canadian Dietetic Association and we've also made several class presentations at the College of

With the new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, coming into force this month, and the proposed development of hempseed processing facilities, in partnership with a group of Manitoba growers and crop specialists, Hempola Inc., North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products, is expecting to move into producing a hempseed oil nutritional supplement.

The Canadian company has been marketing cold-pressed edible Hempola hempseed oil and award-winning Hempola body care products directly to the public and through health food stores for more than two years. During this relatively short period of time it has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. New Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, expected to come into force later this month, and the imminent development of facilities to process locally grown hempseed have already enabled Hempola Inc. to plan the expansion of both its food and body care product lines in addition to the proposed move into the nutrition supplement sector. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

February 23rd, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

New research and hemp cultivation regulations enable Hempola Inc. to plan for expansion of its hempseed oil body care products line.

A very substantial body of knowledge on growing hemp and the application possibilities for hempseed oil has been accumulated, in Canada, in recent years ö much of it due to the efforts of Manitoba Agriculture agronomist, Jack Moes and the University of Manitoba Roman Przybylski.

For Hempola Inc., North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products, this ö together with the new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp coming into force next month ö provides cost-effective opportunities for the development of new products. The prospect of hempseed being grown in Canada and the reality of having processing facilities will enable us to add such items as shampoo, conditioners and body lotions to our Pioneer Award-winning hempseed oil body products line, at affordable prices,  explains Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith.

Just as the perfectly balanced essential fatty acids ö in Hempola hempseed oil ö benefit metabolism when eaten, so they are absorbed directly through the skin and into the bloodstream, when they are used on the body. They penetrate the skin, remoisturizing and reviving dry cells and helping to repair damage caused by sun, wind and ultra violet light. Professional massage therapists agree that Hempola is perfect for massage, quickly permeating the skin and providing just the right amount of lubrication for them to work with effectively. Estheticians, too, love the permeating qualities of the oil and are using and recommending Hempola moisturizing cream. A Canadian company, Hempola was established in 1995 to develop and market cold-pressed hempseed oil and derivative products. Consumer demand has steadily increased for Hempola edible oil since it was launched early in 1996 and the market for the more recently introduced Hempola body products is also showing excellent growth. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

February 17th, 1998    OTTAWA CITIZEN    | return to index |

Canadian Hemp To Be Planted This Year.
Hempseed oil will be sold at supermarkets, advocates say.

BY DEREK PUDDICOMBE

Canadian-produced hempseed oil may soon be found in stores across the country. Changes in federal legislation to permit the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp will mean companies like Hempola, of Port Severn, Ont., will be more widely distributing hempseed oil later this year.

Hempseed oil is not illegal in Canada, but growing hemp for the seed is. As a result, hempseed for oil is imported, mostly from China. And the oil is viewed as a fringe product, available in health food stores rather than mainstream outlets.

Hemp advocates expect that once the law on cultivation is loosened - perhaps as early as next month - the stigma surrounding hempseed oil will fall away and the product will be more widely available both as a food and as an ingredient in cosmetics.

Hempola co-owners Greg Herriott and Kelly Smith say the new legislation will allow them to acquire 100 percent Canadian-grown hempseed that they can turn into oil and market.'

Mr. Herriott says a cultivated-in -Canada hempseed would mean a higher quality product for consumers.

"It would mean we would have control over it", said Mr. Herriott. "Right now, we don't".

The federal government is expected to give its stamp of approval to cultivation in Canada next month.

"In terms of timing, it's expected the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp will become (legal) in early-to mid-March, in place for the 1998 growing seasons," said Derek Kent, spokesman for federal Health Minister Allan Rock.

The idea for the project came largely from rural members of the federal Liberal caucus, said Mr. Kent. Legalization of hemp is being sought by farmers in southwestern Ontario as an alternative crop to tobacco.

Susan Whelan, Liberal MP for Essex, said she has quite a few tobacco farmers in her riding who are interested in growing and processing hemp.

Hemp and marijuana are varieties of the same cannabis sativa plant. The main difference between the two is that most hemp contains only minute amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the substance that gets people high. Derivatives of cannabis, like hempseed oil, are therefore controlled under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Until a new law is passed, the commercial cultivation of hemp remains illegal. Currently, some cultivation is permitted for scientific purposes, under licenses issued by Health Canada.

Once the new law comes into effect, there will be strict controls to prevent people from growing cannabis to supply the illegal drug market. Last fall, more than 100 hectares of hemp were being cultivated, mostly in Ontario.

There's a strict manufacturing practice for hempseed, said Mr. Herriott, so that by the time the hempseed oil is bottled, there are almost no traces of THC left in it.

The days of hemp derivatives being classified as illegal are now numbered because the government is moving quickly on the new law that will put Canada several years ahead of the Americans in establishing a hemp industry, said Ms. Smith.

"It will create jobs and has lots of export potential," said Ms. Smith.

The new regulations should also go a long way in educating people about the health benefits. "This is the perfect oil", said Ms. Smith.

"The oil contains two essential fatty oils which can help prevent blood clotting, cholesterol, and (it) has anti-inflammatory properties for people who suffer from arthritis."

As a culinary product, there's nothing like adding a little hempseed oil to a slice of pizza, said Mr. Herriott. Pouring the oil over pasta or steamed vegetables or using it as a dip for bread is another way to enjoy the oil."

"There is a nutty flavour to it, similar to walnut or sunflower seed oil."

The oil is not to be used for frying food: "What happens when you fry the oil is that the oil loses its natural elements and actually creates a bad fat", Ms. Smith said.

Massage oils, soaps and lip balm are also sold at Hempola. When the new regulations are in place, Mr. Herriott expects his company to bring in $1 million in sales for 1999, and $2 million for 2000.

Hempseed oil and the new surge in its popularity are not news to the owners of the Arbour Environmental Shop in the Glebe, which has been carrying a variety of hemp oil and hemp fashions, including jeans, socks, shirts and knapsacks, for three years.

"It may take time to become suited to our climate and soil, but I can see it at local supermarkets. I'm not sure when, but it will be there," said co-owner Sean Twomey.

February 16th, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

Ross Rebagliati could just as well have had Hempola hempseed oil in his orange juice the morning he made his Olympic gold medal run!

Yes, ingestion of the highly nutritious, perfectly balanced essential fatty acids in derivatives of the seed or grain of industrial hemp ö which normally contain less than 10 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per gram ö will result in traces of that minuscule amount of the psychoactive ingredient being present in urine samples! Industrial hemp, at harvest, has a maximum THC level of only 0.3%. This, in fact, will be the legal level defined under Canada's new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp expected to be in force next month. Marijuana has ten times that level. The Health Canada Industrial Hemp Policy Paper identifies the need to improve public understanding of the differences between industrial hemp and marijuana. Meantime, hemp industry stakeholders ö such as Hempola Inc. ö are taking responsibility for communicating pertinent information to the press and the public to resolve misconceptions. Low and perfectly harmless levels of THC, whether acquired through inhaling sidestream marijuana smoke or eating nutritionally correct food, gravitate to the body's fat storage areas. Fat, as we all know, is not something that metabolizes quickly!

In a few years, the Rebagliati scenario will seem quite ironic viewed from a point in time when we expect hempseed oil and grain products to have become mainstream says Kelly Smith, co-founder of Hempola Inc., North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products. consumer demand could, indeed, have the effect of putting a microscopic amount of THC on the plates of a continually growing percentage of the population making hempseed its dietary food of

A Canadian company, Hempola was established in 1995 to develop and market cold-pressed hempseed oil and derivative products. Consumer demand has steadily increased for Hempola edible oil since it was launched early in 1996 and the market for the more recently introduced Hempola body products is also showing excellent growth. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

February 9th, 1998    For immediate release...    | return to index |

Hempola Inc. plans to expand its hempseed oil food product line to include pourable salad dressing, hemp coffee and hempseed meal.

Federal and Provincial governments have, in recent years, funded hemp education and research which has included the investigation of the various strains of hemp to determine which will yield the most seed and highest quality oil and a substantial body of knowledge has been accumulated.

In view of the new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, expected to come into force on March 1st 1998, and its plans to become part of a Manitoba co-operative planning to grow and process hemp, Hempola Inc. ö North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products ö expects to add several innovative new products to its line of Hempola food products. Pourable salad dressings using hempseed oil as a key ingredient, blended coffee using ground hemp seeds, packaged hempseed meal and baked products using hempseed meal are a few of many items on the agenda says Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith. ensuring shelf stability requires an extensive amount of time investment, in developing these products, and we will not risk our reputation for product excellence by being premature in launching them. Given the success of Hempola hempseed oil however, developing a market for them should take very little

Hempola's flavourful, unique taste ö already highly regarded by consumers and chefs alike ö and its excellent nutrition qualities could see it become the oil of choice in modern diets, in the not-to-distant future. Hempola hempseed oil provides the highest amount of essential fatty acids (EFA's) of any natural plant. Required by the human body for optimal good health, EFA's can only be acquired from food sources and, with a 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 (linoleic acid) to Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid), Hempola presents a near perfect dietary EFA combination. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

February 2nd, 1998    For immediate release...     | return to index |

Canada's Hempola Inc. makes plans for hempseed processing facilities.

For Hempola Inc., North America's leading dedicated producer of hempseed derivative products, the new Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, currently drafted for evaluation and expected to come into force in March 1998, will mean that the lack of processing facilities in Canada will soon be a thing of the past. Strategic alliances of hemp growers and processors are expected to quickly achieve a flourishing new industry.

Currently, seeds used in Hempola products are imported from China for cold-pressing and bottling in Canada. In making the long-awaited, exciting switch to Canadian grown seed, we feel that the standard of excellence ö to which Hempola is committed ö is best achieved through planned partnerships with growers,  comments Hempola co-founder, Kelly Smith.

The movement to restore Canada's hemp industry has been led by Manitoba and Ontario politicians, growers, crop specialists, processors and potential processors of the numerous products which can be produced from hemp. An extensive base of hemp knowledge and information has been assembled by Jack Moes, the Manitoba Agriculture crops agronomist who heads up the provincial hemp research team and Roman Przybylski of the University of Manitoba.

Until 1938, when its cultivation was banned due to misunderstanding and confusion over its relationship to the narcotic marijuana, industrial hemp (cannabis sativa/the useful hemp) was an important Canadian agricultural product. The new Regulations, expected to be in force in time for the 1998 growing season, will enable the restoration of this profitable industry.

Hempola Inc., a Canadian company established to develop and market cold-pressed hempseed oil and derivative products, launched its popular Hempola edible oil product in early 1996. Along with the more recently introduced Hempola body products, it is widely available in health food stores. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.

January 26th 1998    For immediate release...     | return to index |

The day is coming when Hempola hempseed oil products will be coming to a supermarket near you!

New Regulations for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, currently drafted for evaluation and scheduled to come into force on March 15th 1998, will enable Hempola to produce its hempseed oil products from Canadian grown hemp and mass market them.

A commercial hemp crop has been the goal of lobbyists for several years and the proposed regulations, recently released by Health Minister Allan Rock, signify the reality of hemp being grown commercially in Canada this spring. Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture, Harry Enns, has already announced that his province will secure first place in the new industry by applying to grow 5,000 acres of hemp. Since the passage into law of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which replaced the Narcotics Control Act and made provision for regulating the industrial application of controlled substances, advocates ö from Senators Lorna Milne and Eugene Whelan to Liberal Rural Caucus M.P.'s  have consistently urged the government to complete the new regulations. The final stage ö analysis of feedback from the multi-stakeholder Ottawa workshop held this week to discuss the policy paper ö is now underway and the Regulations will be finalized by March. This, according to Rose-Marie Ur, south western Ontario M.P. for Lambton- Kent-Middlesex, will put Canada several years ahead of the United States in re-establishing a hemp industry and provide opportunities to create millions of dollars in export revenue.

Growing hemp commercially in Canada will allow Hempola to more effectively research, develop and market products derived from hempseed oil, meal and seed cake explains Hempola co-founder and workshop participant, Kelly Smith, to a point where demand will eventually create a place for them on the shelves of the local supermarket.  The Canadian company has been marketing edible cold-pressed hempseed oil and six award-winning body care products, made with hempseed oil, directly to the public and through health food stores for more than two years and has become North America's leading dedicated marketer of hempseed derivative products. More information may be obtained on Hempola products by calling 1-800-240-9215 or by visiting www.hempola.com on the World Wide Web.