Source: The Columbian April 04, 1997 D section; Pg. 1 Contact: Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian NOT JUST A PIPE DREAM VANCOUVER MALL STORE HIGHLIGHTS THE MANY USES OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP by By MIKE BAILEY ; Columbian staff writer Copyright (c) 1997, The Columbian Publishing Co. Rob and Gretchen Harris have a vision. Some day, in the not too distant future, they picture a house where the concrete steps leading to the front door are made with the same material used in the walls of the house. That material also is used to make the dining room table, the sofa and the pipes used in the plumbing. At the table, breakfast consists of pancakes and coffee, both of which include the same material used in the concrete and the walls. Gretchen's cosmetics, the newspaper they read, the treats they feed their dog and the clothes they wear all come from that single source. What is this wonder material that could revolutionize life as we know it? It's cannabis sativa L the Latin name for industrial hemp. Of course, it's also known by a few other names. Grass. Weed. Marijuana. By any name, the potential uses of fiber from hemp seem limitless. But this is the bottom line: The U.S. government has classified all forms of the plant as illegal and that limits their use in this country. It limits but doesn't stop its use. To illustrate the versatility of hemp and educate people in Clark County of its many uses, the Harrises have opened a retail store called Cascade Hemp Supply on the upper level of Vancouver Mall near Nordstroms. Every item listed in the visionary homestead of the Harris family is available on the market today and many of those items can be purchased in their store. The inventory includes designer clothes, shoes, luggage, food products and cosmetics. There's linen, a snowboard and even a supplement of amino acids derived from the seeds that is taken like a vitamin. A surfboard, made by a company owned by actor Woody Harrelson, another hemp advocate, was to arrive this week. Many of the items are made in countries that allow industrial hemp to be grown as a commercial crop. Most of the countries are in Europe and Asia. Australia and Canada have test plots of industrial hemp. It is legal to import products made from hemp. Hemp seeds can be brought into the United States if they have been sterilized. The Harrises opened their store two weeks ago and, as expected, the steady steam of customers has been filled with the curious and the surprised. They've also been loaded with questions, according to the Harrises. "We've had everyone from teens to 80yearold women come in and buy things," Gretchen said. "Some didn't even know it was a hemp store when they came in." With the serious shoppers have come a few pranksters. "We get some of the young kids asking if they can smoke the shirts," Rob said. "I told them, 'Sure, go ahead. It won't make you high but you'll sure get a nasty headache from it.' " Those looking for a buzz by eating the hemp soap or sipping on coffee with hemp seeds ground into the blend will just blow a lot of smoke and money up in the air. Genetic breeding of the plant has left industrial hemp with minute traces (0.03 percent) of THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Marijuana contains 8 percent to 13 percent of the chemical. Industrial Industrial hemp usually is tall and grown for its stalk. It has fewer leaves than its short and stubby cousin, which is grown for its flowers and foliage. Because the United States has such a rigorous enforcement policy, getting hemp products into the country can take time and be costly. A 14ounce package of coffee with hemp seeds will cost $ 15. Clothing items can be spendy but generally cost about the same as more conventional items found at the leading department stores in the mall. The most expensive dress in the store is $ 250. A sports coat for men runs $ 50. One of the benefits of hemp, according to Gretchen, is fiber that takes on the properties of many materials. Hemp jeans feel like demin and hemp silk is smooth and sleek. Ultimately, the Harrises hope that by educating Clark County residents about the many uses of hemp, they will put themselves out of business. "As soon as you can buy hemp products at J.C. Penneys or Sears, we're out of here," Rob said. "And we're looking forward to that day." The motivation for the Harrises is the environment. They see hemp as a resource that could save forests, reduce the use of cancercausing pesticides and help stop pollution of rivers and streams when it replaces wood in paper production. But they know their crusade is an uphill battle. Because hemp is so closely liked to marijuana, there is a stigma that comes with the recognizable green leaf of the plant. "We want to take the fear out of that leaf," Rob said. At the same time, these former Merit scholars aren't pushing for the legalization of marijuana as a drug. Gretchen said she thinks they're on the right path, especially since she's been able to convert her father, a former FBI agent, to the benefits of hemp. "If we can change the ideas of an FBI agent, there's hope," she said. STORE AT A GLANCE WHAT: Cascade Hemp Supply. LOCATION: Upper level of Vancouver Mall next to Nordstroms. PRODUCTS: Some 2,500 items made from hemp, ranging in price from a $ 2 granola bar to a $ 250 prom dress.