Soy's new competition: hemp

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Hot hemp products

Not content with chomping on hemp butter sandwiches made with hemp bread and washed down with hemp lattes, consumers are also slathering hemp seed oil on their bodies, via myriad lotions and balms: eye cream, face cream, lip balm, lip liner, lipstick, shampoo, conditioner, massage oil, shower gel, sunscreen and soap.

They are slapping lavender hemp oil deodorant under their arms, getting a George Hamilton glow with Hempz indoor tanning lotions and bronzers, and easing tired muscles with Hot Hemp Muscle Rub analgesic balm.

The more mainstream products available include the Merry Hempsters' lip balm, Jason Natural Cosmetics lotion with hemp seed oil, Nature's Gate Skin Therapy Lotion with hemp seed oil and River Soap Co. Woodlands Bar Soap with hemp seed oil.

"Hemp products are very popular," says Robin Rogosin, a buyer for Whole Foods Market. "I'm not sure if people are buying these products because they're enamored with everything hemp and they're thinking, 'Oh, I'm eating hemp bread and drinking hemp milk so I'm going to buy these things,' or if they're attracted to the products for some other reason. But sales are strong."

-- Janet Cromley