Hemp Farmers Wanted
August 23rd, 2006 | by Ken Grandlund |A bill in California just passed the state Senate that would permit the production of agricultural hemp.
The bill was sponsored by a Democratic Assemblyman but brought to the Senate by conservative Tom McClintock, who claimed that hemp “bears no more resemblance to marijuana than a poodle bears to a wolf.” I don’t agree with Sen. McClintock on everything, but he deserves applause on this one. Even if he is a Republican.
Finally, common sense rules the day. Hemp, which was outlawed in 1937 due to it’s somewhat distant relationship to marijuana, had been an important crop in this and many countries, and not because it could get people high. Industrial hemp has such a minute amount of the psychoactive THC in it that a person would have to inhale or ingest such a ridiculous amount to obtain any kind of sensation at all, and the likely sensation would be one of sickness rather than euphoria.
Furthermore, hemp is a multi-faceted agricultural product providing an array of products and goods that are not only environmentally friendly, but are economically friendly too. Just think of all the new jobs that a hemp market could produce.
George Washington grew hemp. Thomas Jefferson grew hemp. Some of our first flags were made of hemp, as were the uniforms of the colonists who won our independence. Hemp is not the enemy, and its continued banishment serves no purpose at all.
[tag]Hemp+Farming, Tom+McClintock, Hemp[/tag]
7 Responses to “Hemp Farmers Wanted”
By Joe "Deputy Dog" L on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
I always thought it would be midwestern farmers that end up getting hemp and pot legalized.
My guess is that paper pulp timber stand owners and cotton farmers will try to block it.
By Tom Harper on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
Sounds like a good bill. Glad McClintock is behind it; maybe that’ll bring around some other conservative legislators.
By Paul Merda on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
About time reality trumps bullshit in the War on Families, er, Drugs…
By liberpublican on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
Finally something from you guys I can agree with. The drug war has been one of the most hypocritcal policies on this planet. Prohibition never works. You would think we learned that the first time. For alchohol to be legal and marijuana to be illegal is the utmost in hypocrisy.
By Paul Merda on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
Hear, Hear Liberpublican!!!
By ken grandlund on Aug 23, 2006 | Reply
Keep in mind folks that this is not about legalizing drugs. It is about reviving an agricultural product with many uses. Any confusion or suggested linkage to the drug marijuana is simply propaganda by the government and their failed WOD. But industrial hemp is not a drug by a long stretch and legalizing it as a valid product is not a gateway to legalizing marijuana for recreation.
Now I think that pot should also be legal, but tying these two issues together only fuels the misinformation already floating through society about hemp.