Plant Hemp Seeds, Go to Jail

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.

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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

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