Ben Dronkers described his reaction as ‘pleased and surprised’ upon learning of his nomination for Outstanding International Hemp Activist of the Year in the Jack Herer Awards 2010. Ben is one of Europe’s leading hemp entrepreneurs and the man behind HempFlax and the world famous Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum, as well as Sensi Seeds, which this year celebrates its 25^th anniversary.

Industrial Hemp Revolution

When he began HempFlax in 1993, the proud Dutch tradition of hemp farming had lain dormant for half a century. Specialized hemp harvesting and processing machinery was designed, developed and patented by HempFlax, beginning an industrial hemp revolution. Ben and his dedicated team single-handedly revived the Dutch  market for hemp.

Smoking Bunnies

Some of the products even caused amusement:  jokes circulated about bunnies getting stoned on their hemp fibre bedding. Over two decades later, Ben is the one having the last laugh. HempFlax now harvests and processes 2400 hectares (5930 acres) per year. The fibre and hurds are used by major companies such as BMW, and the Queen of England’s horses are stabled on HempFlax bedding (along with thousands of happy bunnies throughout Europe).

Hemp Research Continues

Ben’s take on what really makes HempFlax special is that the whole production chain, from sowing to marketing, is geared towards optimum environmental benefit, use and application of this astonishing resource. The research and development into hemp’s vast potential to offer us a sustainable future continues.

Smoking Buddies

The Jack Herer Awards began in 2004  to honour exceptional achievement in hemp activism. The Award Ceremony takes place on October 7^th, and this year will feature a tribute to Jack himself, dearly missed by the cannabis community worldwide after his passing earlier this year. Jack and Ben were close friends, and in 2005 Ben presented Jack with the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum’s annual Cannabis Culture Award (Cannabis Cultuur Prijs) to honour and applaud Jack’s great part in the cannabis crusade. It is easy to imagine Jack appreciating, with a smile, his smoking buddy’s nomination for a Jack Herer Award.

Jack Herer and his award winning cannabis strain

Jack Herer, the Hemperor – author, activist and all-round cannabis-hero – passed away on April 15 2010 at the age of 70.

Jack’s 1985 book The Emperor Wears No Clothes is probably the biggest single influence behind the modern hemp movement. Originally self-published, Emperor is currently in its 11th edition and has sold over 600,000 copies.

The book makes a powerful argument for personal freedom to grow and use psychoactive cannabis and also describes how large-scale industrial hemp cultivation can help humans to stop destroying the planet through deforestation, pollution and over-reliance on petrochemicals.

The Emperor Wears No Clothes confirmed in great detail what many cannabis enthusiasts knew or suspected – that the forbidden weed and the world’s best natural fibre were one and the same. The book also argues that one of the main reasons cannabis was prohibited in the 1930s was to prevent it from being a serious (and superior) competitor to wood-pulp paper, cotton, synthetic fibres and patentable pharmaceutical medicines.

Cannabis is so efficient and versatile that it threatened several industrial monopolies and the fact that it was also used as a cheap and low-risk recreational substance (especially by people of ‘undesirable’ race or financial circumstances) was simply a convenient excuse to ban it.

Emperor also presented many other arguments that are now central to the modern hemp movement: that hemp cultivation requires no pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilisers; that a hectare of hemp can produce four times as much paper as a hectare of trees; that hemp fibre needs a few if any chemicals to be turned into high quality paper and textiles, unlike the toxic processes needed to produce cotton and wood-pulp paper; that hemp can be cultivated as a highly nutritious food-crop and is an efficient source of fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel.
Jack Herer devoted more than half of his life to fighting for the cause of cannabis, which also made him an activist for the environment and freedom. The Emperor Wears No Clothes was followed by a second book, Grass and Jack was the subject of a biopic entitled The Emperor of Hemp. A film version of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, featuring other famous friends of cannabis reading from Jack’s magnum opus is due to be released soon.

Above all, Jack Herer was never one to rest on his laurels. For over 30 years, he continued travelling, speaking and drawing attention to the countelss positive aspects of cannabis, spreading the message that hemp can literally save the planet when its irrational prohibition is finally ended.

Jack Herer presented with a cannabis cup

Thanks to Jack Herer, that day is now closer than ever. He will always be remembered and honoured by the cannabis community for his massive contribution to the cause.

News has reached us that the world-renowned author, activist and marijuana anti-prohibitionist Jack Herer suffered a heart attack this weekend.  Emergency crews were called in as he collapsed in his chair after delivering a fiery speech at the Portland Hempstalk Event at Kelly Point Park. After spending a lengthy amount of time stabilizing Jack at the scene, he was transported to the Emanuel Trauma Center in Portland in critical condition with his son at his side. Soon after that, his family were told that he was the victim of a heart attack, a result of arterial blockage.

Jack is arguably the best-known person in the world on the subject of marijuana; he is an icon of popular culture and his book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” is the largest and first account of the real story of marijuana and the techniques used by big money corporations to demonize and criminalize it.

Jack suffered a stroke a few years ago that had left him somewhat challenged in terms of speaking, but those who heard him speak at the rally on Saturday afternoon noted that his speech was much clearer than it had been in many years.

In an ironic twist, an interview recorded 2 hours before the heart attack with friend Dr. Phillip Leveque of Salem-News.com, hears Jack explaining how he has been feeling better recently, stating: “I’m healthier than I’ve been in ages… in 10 years!”

Last night the doctors put him in an induced coma and lowered his body temperature with ice. They are keeping him this way for 48 more hours. His heart is doing well for now so they think he will be ok soon. Early reports that he underwent angioplasty are unfounded.

There are no equals to Jack Herer; he is a massive inspiration to us all – we have a huge amount of respect for his dedication to the cause; he is an inspirational figure and a genuine trailblazer. We wish Jack all the best and we hope that he makes a full and complete recovery. At this time, our thoughts go out to his son and wonderful wife Jeannie Herer.

UPDATE (17/09/09): Jack has been taken off of the medications that were keeping him in a state of induced coma. He is not awake yet and the doctors are saying that it may be a few days before …he comes out of the coma. Jack swallowed some fluid into his lung’s during the heart – attack and this caused a minor infection. He is considered stable at this time just in a comatose state.  Good luck Jack – we’re all rooting for you friend! ]]> http://weedforneed.com/2009/09/jack-herer-suffers-heart-attack/feed/ 0