Dankdude
Well-Known Member
Washington, DC: Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), along with nine Democrat co-sponsors, reintroduced legislation in Congress this week to authorize the state-sanctioned cultivation of industrial hemp for commercial purposes. Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa that contains only minute (less than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. HEMP AND MARIJUANA: Myths and Realities
House Bill 1009, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007, seeks to amend the federal Controlled Substances Act so that cannabis containing only trace amounts of THC is no longer defined as "marihuana" [sic] under the statute. The act grants states the "exclusive authority" to license and regulate the commercial production of industrial hemp. Vote Hemp: Information: Political: Legislation: Federal
Currently, several US states have laws authorizing hemp production by licensed cultivators. However, farmers in these states may not produce hemp without federal permission. State Hemp Laws - NORML
According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, "The DEA has been unwilling to grant licenses for growing small plots of hemp for research purposes," even when such research is authorized by state law, because the agency believes that doing so would "send the wrong message to the American public concerning the government's position on drugs."
US Stands Alone In Hemp Ban, Congressional Research Service Report Says - NORML
Passage of HR 1009 would remove this federal barrier and defer exclusive regulatory authority over hemp production to state statutes.
"It is indefensible that the United States government prevents American farmers from growing this crop," Congressman Paul said. "By passing the Industrial Hemp Farming Act the House of Representatives can help American farmers and reduce the trade deficit all without spending a single taxpayer dollar."
According to the CRS, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop." Farmers in Canada and the European Union grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products, including food.
Hemp fiber and hemp-based products may be legally imported to the United States in compliance with several economic treaties, including NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).
For more information, please visit: Vote Hemp: Information: Political: Legislation: Federal or Industrial Use - NORML.
House Bill 1009, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007, seeks to amend the federal Controlled Substances Act so that cannabis containing only trace amounts of THC is no longer defined as "marihuana" [sic] under the statute. The act grants states the "exclusive authority" to license and regulate the commercial production of industrial hemp. Vote Hemp: Information: Political: Legislation: Federal
Currently, several US states have laws authorizing hemp production by licensed cultivators. However, farmers in these states may not produce hemp without federal permission. State Hemp Laws - NORML
According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, "The DEA has been unwilling to grant licenses for growing small plots of hemp for research purposes," even when such research is authorized by state law, because the agency believes that doing so would "send the wrong message to the American public concerning the government's position on drugs."
US Stands Alone In Hemp Ban, Congressional Research Service Report Says - NORML
Passage of HR 1009 would remove this federal barrier and defer exclusive regulatory authority over hemp production to state statutes.
"It is indefensible that the United States government prevents American farmers from growing this crop," Congressman Paul said. "By passing the Industrial Hemp Farming Act the House of Representatives can help American farmers and reduce the trade deficit all without spending a single taxpayer dollar."
According to the CRS, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop." Farmers in Canada and the European Union grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products, including food.
Hemp fiber and hemp-based products may be legally imported to the United States in compliance with several economic treaties, including NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).
For more information, please visit: Vote Hemp: Information: Political: Legislation: Federal or Industrial Use - NORML.
