This week on the Hemp Show, we talk with global hemp expert and co-founder of the Hemp Plastic Company, Paul Benhaim.
Benhaim takes us on a deep dive into hemp plastics — and why he believes scalability is more important than purity. We'll hear about the company and the process of turning hemp into objects like didgeridoos and car parts.
Benhaim has been in the hemp industry for over 30 years, finding early success with a hemp health bar in Europe in the 1990s before moving to Australia where he founded the largest hemp food company in the Southern Hemisphere.
Benhaim tells us about a trip to the Himalayas that inspired his research into communities, health, diet and — hemp.
"The science says it's the best thing for humanity and it leads to people being vibrant and healthy," Benhaim says.
This experience led Benhaim to write the book "H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible."
Benhaim explains the 'endocannabinoids,' and the endocannabinoid system present in every living mammal.
"Our body is literally made for cannabis, hence the system being called the endocannabinoid system, which until relatively recently was never taught to doctors, never taught in medicine. An entire system was kind of ignored," says Benhaim.
Resources & Links:
✅ Hemp Plastic Company
✅ H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible
✅ Interview with Exlinol's Gabriel Ettenson
✅ Cannabis Psychedelics
Thanks to our sponsors:
✅ IND Hemp – Family-owned hemp feed, food and fiber company bringing new opportunities to farmers and manufacturers across the U.S.
✅ Forever Green – Distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter
Music by Tin Bird Shadow
Topics covered in this conversation:
• Paul's introduction to hemp and his early "aha" moment
• The connection between food, community and vibrant health
• Founding of Hemp Foods Australia and Elixinol
• The story behind his first book: "H.E.M.P.: Healthy Eating Made Possible"
• How hemp led to broader interests in natural living, permaculture and traditional medicine
• The endocannabinoid system: What it is and why it matters
• Paul's thoughts on full-spectrum CBD vs. isolated compounds
• Why he believes CBD is a separate industry from both marijuana and industrial hemp
• Challenges with regulation and intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids (like Delta-8, HHC)
• Global perspectives on hemp vs. the U.S. approach
• Hemp's historical context and linguistic confusion around the word "hemp"
• The scalability problem in hemp and why it's critical to solve
• The evolution of hemp plastic and the story behind the hemp harmonica
• Paul's current work with The Hemp Plastic Company
• Technical details of making hemp plastic pellets for industrial use
• Why end markets matter more than farming alone
• Potential for hemp to scale up as a sustainable alternative in global manufacturing
• Circular economies and local empowerment in Africa
• Hemp opportunities in Thailand and Asia
• NIHC and international cooperation in the hemp industry
• Paul's involvement with the U.S. government and COP (climate talks)
• Cannabis psychedelics: therapeutic uses and his new project
• Meditation, dance and his personal approach to mindfulness
• Reflections on the need for a new, cooperative paradigm in hemp and beyond
