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Industrial hemp may be one of the most versatile and environmentally benign crops out there, but because of its relationship to marijuana, the cultivation of this crop has been banned in the United States since the late thirties. Last week, a group of farmers, along with David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, staged a protest in front of the Drug Enforcement Agency in Washington, DC, and were promptly arrested for planting hemp seeds on the agency’s front lawn.
The farmers’ arrest highlights the contradictions surrounding hemp cultivation in the US: it’s perfectly legal to sell products made from the plant, but growing it can get you in trouble. As such, American farmers are missing out on an economic opportunity.
Read more about industrial hemp at SUNfiltered
Bobby B.
Since somebody’s got to grow the stuff for others to use it for “medicinal” purposes, maybe this policy will change in the near future:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/10/obama_administration_to_issue.html
Of course, there is evidence that plenty of it is already being grown in the US without the pesky need to own land. Just utilize a portion of your favorite national park:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=111275#
Even the ultra-liberal “Daily KOS” commented on the possibility of this poor man’s murder being drug related:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/24/133244/373
All should agree that it is very sad regardless of the underlying cause, and shouldn’t be used for political gain by anyone.
To broaden the topic, how is it that so many left-leaning environmentalists can support the legalization of pot for industrial and medicinal purposes under the guise that individuals are mature enough to not abuse its derivative substances, but in direct contrast support gun control because individuals are too irresponsible to handle firearms properly? With pot the left’s mantra seems to be, “Blame the person, not the substance.” whereas with guns it’s, “Blame the inanimate object, not the person.” Feel free to vice-versa the observation for right-wingers.
Anthony Gerst
The article is about Industrial Hemp, this has zero medical value. Indurstrial hemp is a practical replacement for the vast majority of oil based polymer products.
Jeff McIntire-Strasburg
Yep, Bob, Anthony’s right… marijuana legalization is a totally different subject. I suppose you could smoke industrial hemp, but you’d probably only get a headache for your troubles… the amount of THC in it is minuscule.
Anthony Gerst
One step further Jeff, if large tracts of land were devoted to growing Industrial hemp, say for plastic production or construction materials or paper for that matter. There is a seven mile cross pollination zone around these fields that would ruin any illegal marijuana crops.
Bobby B.
So, there is no possibility that anyone would refine the trace amounts of THC in industrial hemp to create a drug? None whatsoever? In a society where you have to show an ID for Sudafed because meth labs are all the rage, no one anywhere would get the idea to convert hemp into something with less than honorable purposes? How do you sell such an idea to the masses?
Anyway, I personally have no gripe with industrial hemp. It probably makes fine rope and paper. I even remember seeing jokes on the woodworking websites about craftsmen using dull blades to create more smoke when cutting their medium density hemp-based fiberboard.
As I said in my first post the problem isn’t the product, it’s the people. One could revise the phrase “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” to say “Hemp doesn’t create addicts, people choose to become addicts.”
Michael Sykes
Really now Bobby B, Addicts, what world are you living in, television creates addicts, drug manufactures do, banks do, religions do, but marijuana, really. the whole idea that marijuana is illegal is obnoxious and offensive. the issue of cannabis in any form is at best a distraction from other much more critical issues. and remember it’s 420 somewhere near you .
Bobby B.
@Michael – I never said that cannabis created addicts, just that addicts will do whatever is necessary to satisfy their addictions. I will admit to being extremely naive and sheltered by my own choosing from the drug culture; even had to look up your “420” reference. However, I have seen the effects of alcohol addiction within my own family and have had a neighbor die in a house fire when he fell asleep working in his “lab”. Maybe the illegality of marijuana is offensive to some, but its position as “the gateway drug” is largely considered undeniable. Best wishes, B.
Green Blogger Info
Jeff,
Glad you highlighted this absurdity!