Committee OKs Bill Letting Farmers Grow Hemp |
Posted by CN Staff on January 11, 2006 at 14:43:57 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Sacramento, CA -- Legislation that would allow California farmers to grow industrial hemp, a distant cousin of marijuana that can be used in making myriad products, has been approved by a state Assembly committee. The measure by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, cleared the Public Safety Committee on Tuesday night, 4-2, and was sent to the Appropriations Committee, the last stop before the full Assembly. Hemp is imported to the United States from Canada and other countries and can be used to make clothing, cosmetics, food, paper, rope, jewelry, luggage, sports equipment, toys and a variety of other products. But hemp can't be legally grown in the United States without a federal Drug Enforcement Administration permit that often is difficult to obtain. Hemp contains a trace of tetrahydrocannabinols, or THC, the drug in marijuana. Leno's bill would allow California farmers to grow hemp to sell to California manufacturers of hemp products, a limit the bill's supporters hope will avoid legal challenges to the legislation under the U.S. Constitution's interstate commerce clause. Leno said the bill provides a "great opportunity to assist family farmers." "California can import the entire plant to manufacture thousands of products, so manufacturers are benefiting from current law, the environment benefits, retailers benefit, consumers benefit," he said. "The only one losing out is the California farmer." Complete Title: Assembly Committee OKs Bill Letting Farmers Grow Hemp Source: Associated Press (Wire) Related Articles & Web Site: Cannabis News Hemp Links Legislative Movement To Legalize Hemp Begins Bill Would Allow Hemp Farming in California Assembly Mulls Industrial Hemp Bill Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #28 posted by Hope on January 12, 2006 at 19:17:18 PT |
I understand the "reputation". Like you...I have to not care. I'm convinced that cannabis prohibition is heinously many times worse than the prohibited stuff. I'm all too aware that our government has spent more tax dollars than I can imagine on the drug war and that too many people are in prison or suffering in some way because of the prohibition. That's all got to change and we have to stand up and raise hell about it.
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Comment #27 posted by Hope on January 12, 2006 at 19:09:55 PT |
You obviously do know your hemp. Lately, highways and streets reinforced with hemp stalks has entertained my imagination. If one is to grow medicinal or special smoking or vaporizing cannabis...one will have to be sure to not be too near downwind of a hemp grown for fiber patch. Medicinal, the best anyway, would likely always need to be grown in greenhouses. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #26 posted by ekim on January 12, 2006 at 19:07:47 PT |
Chinese Hemp Industry has Boundless Potential
Posted by FoM on November 05, 2001 at 09:01:46 PT
Business News
Source: People's Daily
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11260.shtml
As world fashion increasingly moves toward simplicity, comfort and health protection, experts point out that hemp, a major economic crop in China, could have great market prospects after the nation's entry into the World Trade Organization. Chapter 3 February 1938: Popular Mechanics Magazine: http://www.jackherer.com/chapter03.html "NEW BILLION-DOLLAR CROP" February 1928: Mechanical Engineering Magazine: "THE MOST PROFITABLE & DESIRABLE CROP THAT CAN BE GROWN" Modern technology was about to be applied to hemp production, making it the number one Ethanol from cellulose was being included as the amount of Ethanol will increase from 4 billion gals to 8 billion by 2012. http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2004/3404_technologies_lauded.html The first [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #25 posted by knowhemp on January 12, 2006 at 18:27:59 PT |
you know, i've always kind of had a problem with how people present the uses of cannabis:
'you can make all kinds of stuff...bracelets, rope, paper, soap, candy, rope, icecream, rope, clothing, rope, canvas, rope....etc' i'm sorry but rope isn't really something we really NEED to start making out of cannabis in order to save the world, and mentioning it isn't going to change the skeptic's mind. how about some of the more toxic products we could replace? how about some of the more industrial uses? the BIG changes! i like to hear paper mentioned...but lets throw in some mind blowing estimates while we mention it! 'the american paper association estimates that 80% of ALL paper made from trees could be made from hemp and of a higher quality.' - this is without acid rain, which is created when making paper from trees. how about the fact that almost everything you need to build a home can be made of hemp? particle board, concrete, wall paper, paint, carpet...etc how about the fact that major auto compaines are using hemp to replace fiberglass parts? clothing could be big...but the hemp style is definitely NOT mainstream, and is taking it's sweet time catching up. when you mention clothing to the skeptic they will remember mary sunbeam's burlap looking vest and hemp bag... not the silk/hemp blend dress. these things need to be mentioned to drive the point home...hemp is like fine linen, not burlap! and if you're a skeptic, you probably haven't seen what they can do with hemp! and if you have seen it, you may not have realized it. how about mentioning the fact that cotton farmers rely on more pesticides to grow their crop than any other, and hemp requires none at all!! beautiful!! i think we all start feeling like a broken record when we talk about cannabis to the ignorant more than once...i know i do. it usually starts up like a regular topic that will come and go. you know, 'oh, i heard this about weed' or 'did you know?' - and then i go on for about an hour talking all about this one topic. so people start thinking 'ohhhh kay...pothead...i think you need to take a break - and not THAT kind of break either.' after that it's hard to bring it up again with the same person - but i do it anyway:) i maintain my reputation everywhere i go. tee hee! ps - don't mean to be hyper-critical , i still respect ANYTHING positive that people say about cannabis. i just think we need to be more aggressive. grrrrrr [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #24 posted by knowhemp on January 12, 2006 at 18:05:40 PT |
ruderalis is a russian strain; which explains why it's short and grows in a shorter season. i've heard that until recently it was thought of as pretty much inferior in all regards to sativa and indica...but now they're finding that it's great for making softer clothing, and i think they said it's better for certain fiber blends. anyone ever smoke ruderalis? i wonder if it's even something worth considering -perhaps there are secrets in the genetics that could be brought out through years of growing - perhaps a certain psychoactive effect not found elsewhere. i also remember an article in high times magazine that said there was cannabis somewhere in madagascar that causes one to hallucinate - supposedly the only place in the world that you can find it. of course this was back in 94-95 and i think high times can be a little sketchy - for instance, all the shady fake pot ads in there - what a blow to the cause and our image - jeez louis! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #23 posted by whig on January 12, 2006 at 12:07:27 PT |
Low-dose psilocybin weekly is actually the most effective pain killer, but requires a fully psychedelic dose. Lysergic acid diethylamide is nearly as effective at 1/4 to 1/3 hit (30mcg or so) weekly. Sorry for being off-topic, but it seemed worth mentioning. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #22 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:56:01 PT |
I have thought about this. If a person takes pills for pain management they will build a tolerance to the drug and need to take more to get the pain in control. I know it happened that way with me. Not anymore though thank goodness. That aside different varieties of cannabis would help with the tolerance issue. Just switching types now and then would keep tolerance from building up. I think that seems right. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #21 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:48:50 PT |
I have a big Rott barking in my ear because he wants to go outside but if I had a little dog he would be barking at my ankles. I'm just kidding but dogs are dogs. I understand what you mean. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #20 posted by BGreen on January 12, 2006 at 11:46:15 PT |
Indica is one of the best things for chronic pain (pun entirely intended) and when there it a substantial reduction of pain it naturally encourages activity. Pain is the ultimate couch-lock. It's funny how the body works. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #19 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:45:10 PT |
That's cool. Now I want some Welch's grape juice but don't have any! LOL! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #18 posted by whig on January 12, 2006 at 11:43:57 PT |
...are only used to make Welch's. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:42:59 PT |
Much like different grapes that make different wines. I don't drink but I can see how different grapes would make different wines with different highs. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #16 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:40:27 PT |
I understand feminized and I understand there are different types. I am a get up and go type person. I wouldn't like to be couch locked. Isn't that ruderalis short and squatty? That wouldn't make good hemp fibers I would think but I am guessing here. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #15 posted by whig on January 12, 2006 at 11:38:33 PT |
Think of dogs, for a moment. There are many different breeds, from the very small (think chihuahua) to the very large (think great dane) and with all kinds of different characteristics. But guess what? There is only one species of Canis domesticus. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #14 posted by whig on January 12, 2006 at 11:33:20 PT |
Hemp is Cannabis sativa (useful hemp). What people mean to say when they say that hemp is different from marijuana is that it is not cultivated for the buds, but for the fiber. It is not feminized, and it is not especially potent. But this isn't actually a difference of species. There is a subspecies of Cannabis called ruderalis that is inherently less potent, and could presumably be grown as hemp. On the other side, there is also indica, which is probably more common than sativa in most commercial pot farming because it tends to produce more buds more quickly, though has different effects (more stoning and physical, less cerebral high -- I'd rather have the sativa.) [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #13 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:20:58 PT |
I don't understand what the difference is between Hemp and Cannabis Sativa. One thing I can say is I never heard of anyone lighting up a big stalk of Hemp or rolling up a bunch of seeds to smoke. They sort of explode. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #12 posted by Hope on January 12, 2006 at 11:14:30 PT |
Smoking the hangman's noose? There's a hook for a song. Smoke it all. Eat it all. Use it all. No nooses please. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #11 posted by Hope on January 12, 2006 at 11:11:55 PT |
I just had a stunning thought that I wanted to share. I was thinking about the amazing non-poisonous aspect of cannabis. It's never killed anyone. Then I saw the hangman's noose. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #10 posted by FoM on January 12, 2006 at 11:02:29 PT |
January 12, 2006 CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - A Reno woman has filed an initiative petition with the Nevada secretary of state's office seeking to legalize the use of hemp to produce clean-burning energy. Kathryn Whitman, a student at Truckee Meadows Community College, said hemp is one of the most efficient agricultural resources to produce methane to fuel the country's energy needs. "If hemp was grown on 2 percent of the nation's farmland, it could fuel the nation," she said. "And it's clean burning." While hemp is frequently associated with marijuana, the agricultural product would have no value for drug use, Whitman said. Industrial hemp does not contain enough of the key ingredient in marijuana for such use, she said. But the product is not legal for use in Nevada, which is why the initiative petition was filed Monday, Whitman said. If Whitman and other supporters can collect the necessary 83,184 signatures by Nov. 14, the measure would go to the Legislature for its consideration in 2007. If it failed there, it would go to the voters in 2008. It would be difficult to grow hemp in Nevada because of the climate, but the petition would allow the use of the product here to produce energy, Whitman said. It would also allow the study of hemp in Nevada as an alternative energy source, she said. Other states have looked at legalizing the production of hemp, which can be used to make clothing, cosmetics, food, paper, jewelry, luggage, sports equipment, toys and a variety of other products. According to the Hemp Industries Association, the Marijuana Tax Act passed by Congress in 1937 began the era of hemp prohibition. The Controlled Substances Act passed in 1970 also failed to recognize hemp as distinct from marijuana and thus legal to grow. -- Copyright: 2006 Las Vegas Sun, Inc. http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/jan/12/011210212.html [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #9 posted by Toker00 on January 12, 2006 at 09:20:56 PT |
How can it make it harder to enforce the laws, hemp being legalized and all, when they are not able to enforce the laws against cannabis right now? How can you enforce a law that is unenforcable? You can't. You can only make a living out of prosecuting and persecuting innocent people for possessing the God given and sanctioned Cannabis plant. WE ARE A CULTURE. CANNABIS CULTURE. Cannabists are victims of Governmentally sponsored Genocide. Nothing like a spliff to spice up a movie or sitcom. Rock-n-roll sells and hippies of old are making millions sponsoring Corporations who, in turn, donate millions to Drug Free America, to encarcerate the very culture that is making them rich. They praise us for being the generation who will go out partying and trail blazing just like we came in. Then they cage the young for emulating us. Corporate America Sucks. Boycott the Bastards! Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW!
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Comment #8 posted by observer on January 11, 2006 at 17:10:52 PT |
Expect prohibitionists to equate hemp with the deadly evil poison of marihuana. Hemp will be a cover for concealed cannabis crops, hemp will mean more marijuana! Hemp will be demonized with links to longhair hippies and fabulous furry freaks. Hemp will be said to lead to the hard stuff: pot, then crack and heroin. Hemp will destroy the youth of California! That's what prohibitionists always say.
Drug War Propaganda http://www.cafepress.com/drugpropaganda2 [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #7 posted by Sukoi on January 11, 2006 at 16:55:21 PT |
I'm still trying to get the color thing down but I'm sure that you still get the gist of the statements... [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #6 posted by Sukoi on January 11, 2006 at 16:52:12 PT |
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060111-7.html"Let me talk about immigration. We have an obligation to enforce our borders. (Applause.) Let me just say the full answer. (Laughter.) And we do for a lot of reasons. The main reason is security reasons, seems like to me. And security means more than just a terrorist slipping in. It means drugs. The Mayor was telling me that there's a lot of -- crime around the country -- he's been studying this -- because of drug use. And who knows if they're being smuggled in from Mexico, but drugs do get smuggled in. So it's a security issue. It's more than just the war on terrorist security issue. It's the issue of being able to try to secure the lifestyle of our country from the use of drugs, drug importation, for example. A lot of things get smuggled across. Generally, when you're smuggling something it's against the law. So we have an obligation of enforcing the border. That's what the American people expect". "It also makes sense to take pressure off the border by giving people a legal means on a temporary basis to come here, so they don't have to sneak across. Now, some of you all may be old enough to remember the days of Prohibition. I'm not. (Laughter.) But remember, we illegalized whisky, and guess what? People found all kinds of ways to make it, and to run it. NASCAR got started -- positive thing that came out of all that. (Laughter.)What you're having here is you've created a -- you've made it illegal for People to come here to work that other Americans won't do, and guess has happened? A horrible industry has grown up. You've got folks right here in Kentucky who are hiring people to do jobs Americans won't do, and you say, show me your papers, and they've been forged, and the employer doesn't know about it".Hmmm, has he missed something perhaps??? [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 11, 2006 at 16:10:38 PT |
I was born in North Carolina so that makes me a Rebel but I live in no man's land Ohio so maybe I'm a half of a Cool Rebel! LOL! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #4 posted by runruff on January 11, 2006 at 16:05:08 PT:
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Yea, I like that. I'm a cool rebel. How about you? [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 11, 2006 at 15:39:35 PT |
This could become very interesting. California is the trailblazer state. I wonder where we would be without those cool rebels out west. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #2 posted by MikeC on January 11, 2006 at 15:11:18 PT |
Great news. This ought to be interesting. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 11, 2006 at 14:44:54 PT |
Little by little we are making progress! [ Post Comment ] |
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