“George Washington was a great hemp farmer,” author and activist Jack Herer said at Monday’s West Lagoon rally to legalize marijuana.

Herer is the chief spokesman for HEMP—Help End Marijuana Prohibition. Herer told several hundred people that not only were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin hemp farmers, but the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were all first written on paper made from hemp and flax before they were transfered to parchment.

DeKalb was part of “Hemp Tour ‘90,” a 60-date tour across the country advocating the rescinding of marijuana laws. Attendants typically smoke marijuana in defiance of current laws.

University Police Capt. James Webster told The Northern Star Monday the UPs “don’t have anything special planned” for the demonstration and added they would only respond if called.

As with other Hemp Tour ’90 dates, some demonstrators smoked marijuana in protest. The UPs did not arrest anyone.

Since April, 1973, Herer has been crusading around the country to convince people that legalizing marijuana is the answer to many of the country’s economic and ecological problems.

Herer and Hemp Bio-Mass, another group at the demonstration advocating marijuana legalization, claim hemp is the “world’s premier plant.”

They claim research has proven that hemp has innumerable uses. Some of the articles Herer cites as evidence are a 1938 Popular Mechanics article and articles from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Popular Mechanics states that fish nets, canvas, strong rope, overalls and fine linen clothing can all be made from hemp.

Popular Mechanics said the possibilities for the paper industry were even greater. Hemp will produce every grade of paper, virtually making imported wood and leveling forests obsolete. The Department of Agriculture reports the same thing.

The magazine further states that the only problem with allowing farmers to grow hemp would be the unavoidable production of the female plant which produces the intoxicant in marijuana.

Herer and Bio-Mass also claim that one acre of hemp can produce as many paper products as four acres of trees. This can be done in less time, effort and expense.

Herer showed the audience a garment which he said was made of hemp and offered it to anyone to examine. He said it is four times warmer than a similar garment made from cotton, and also more durable.

Herer produced reports which also claim hemp can be used as a cleaner and cheaper alternative to fossil fuels.

Herer is the author of “The Emperor Wears No Clothes.” In the book, Herer trys to dispel what he claims are lies concerning the use and possible applications of hemp.

Herer said he believes that corporations are pivitol in the maintenance of marijuana laws. He said corporations want to keep hemp illegal because if it were to be used it would make most of their synthetic products obsolete.