USC grad capitalizes on cannabis
Patrique Veille, a USC alumnus, is the co-founder of American Hemp LLC, a company that processes and distributes industrial hemp that it imports because the crop is illegal to grow in the U.S.
“This is something my brother told me about around nine years ago. He explained industrial hemp’s versatility and the variety of benefits the rotational field crop provides. And about four years ago we decided to take it from a more educational campaign to a business,” Veille said.
The federal ban on U.S. hemp cultivation makes their process more costly and difficult. To date, 32 states have introduced pro-hemp legislation, and 20 have passed such laws, according to Vote Hemp, an advocacy group.
Industrial hemp is in the cannabis genus and has levels of THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana, between 0.0 to 0.3 percent. Medical or recreational marijuana can have THC levels of approximately 20 percent.
Hemp, an industrial grade natural fiber, can be used to make textiles, bioplastics, paper, hempcrete, pet bedding and grain, all of which are biodegradable. Because hemp is illegal to grow in the United States, companies have to charge more for the material because of costs associated with shipping and importation.
“Right now, you have to import industrial hemp from outside countries because hemp is legal to grow and cultivate in almost every industrialized nation except the United States,” Veille said. “Despite this obstacle, the U.S. is the largest market for it in the world, at approximately $450 million.”
Veille started American Hemp with his brother while he was still in college as an entrepreneurship and supply chain management student. He said his studies benefited him while at USC, but he also had outside inspiration.
“The passion my brother displayed and the obvious benefits of hemp were the inspiration, and USC’s programs aided in my development,” he said. “There’s definitely a difference between reading something in a textbook and going out and doing it.”
State Rep. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, recently introduced a bill in the General Assembly to “clarify that industrial hemp is excluded from the definition of marijuana,” making hemp legal to grow for industrial purposes.
Veille said that to get hemp legalized in South Carolina, he and other activists will need to spread the word, let people know what hemp can do and vote pro-hemp.
“Once more people learn about hemp, it will make sense that this historical American crop George Washington and Thomas Jefferson told citizens to sow should be incorporated back into our economy,” Veille said. “History is coming back to the future, and hemp can give a lot of opportunities for younger generations to get involved with this growing industry.”
More Like This
Student Endorsement: Gary Johnson
By Ross Abbott | Feb. 17, 2016Minimum sentencing laws hurt poor, youth
By Emilie Dawson | March 25, 2013