cannabisnews.com: AG Rules Hemp Bill is Legal





AG Rules Hemp Bill is Legal
Posted by CN Staff on June 21, 2008 at 16:50:28 PT
By Peter Hirschfeld, Vermont Press Bureau
Source: Times Argus
Montpelier, VT -- A constitutional dispute surrounding the so-called hemp bill has finally been resolved, paving the way for Vermont to become only the second state in the country to allow its farmers to grow the crop.Gov. James Douglas, a critic of the hemp bill, had said the measure flies in the face of federal statutes and could ultimately complicate marijuana eradication efforts in the state.
Despite his opposition, a Douglas spokesman said that the bill didn't rise to the level of a gubernatorial veto. And though he wasn't willing to sign the bill himself, Douglas forwarded the legislation in early June to the secretary of state for her to enact the bill into law without his signature.But Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz said it was unclear whether the Vermont Constitution requires a gubernatorial signature or not. When the bill arrived at her office about two weeks ago, Markowitz sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General to make a ruling.On Friday, William Griffin, chief assistant attorney general, said in a letter to Markowitz that Douglas did indeed abide by constitutional protocol and advised her to make the hemp bill law.At issue was the so-called "pocket veto," a constitutional provision that allows a governor to squelch a bill simply by not signing it.Griffin said in his letter that the pocket veto does not apply in this instance. The governor did not return the unsigned bill to the Legislature, according to Griffin, but rather forwarded it to the secretary of state, indicating his tacit approval for it to become law."(The hemp bill) became law without the Governor's signature because the governor did not return it with objections …" Griffin wrote. "Given the governor's message to the House, that is the result the governor intended."The bill legalizes hemp in Vermont, but that doesn't mean residents will be able to grow it. Federal statute, which supercedes state law, classifies hemp as a Schedule I narcotic and prohibits its cultivation. Hemp, which is used to produce a wide variety of fibers for clothing and other purposes, is the same species as marijuana but is a variety that has virtually none of the ingredient that allows users to get high. Numerous farm advocates say growing hemp could provide a boost for Vermont's farm economy.Amy Shollenberger, head of Rural Vermont, lobbied on behalf of her farmers' organization to get the hemp bill passed. She applauded Griffin's opinion Friday and said Rural Vermont will now put pressure on the state's congressional delegation to get the federal ban on hemp cultivation overturned."We're really excited the bill will be allowed to go through," Shollenberger said. "And we're looking forward to talking with (Sen. Patrick) Leahy about getting the federal policy changed." Source: Times Argus (Barre, VT)Author: Peter Hirschfeld, Vermont Press BureauPublished: June 21, 2008Copyright: 2008 Times ArgusContact: letters timesargus.comWebsite: http://www.timesargus.com/Related Articles: Douglas Won't Veto New Hemp Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23968.shtmlHemp Bill Moves To Full Senate Votehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23895.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #10 posted by Storm Crow on June 23, 2008 at 09:24:05 PT
Tintala....
Remember what George Washington Carver did with peanuts? Peanuts (although delicious) are a "narrow usage" plant compared to hemp. Imagine what could be done with hemp! We need a "George Washington Carver" of hemp! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by ekim on June 22, 2008 at 20:02:40 PT
Dupont joins Dannish CO[produce cellulose ethanol
>
> >
>
> Genencor Meets First Technical Milestone in Biomass to Ethanol Project
> http://www.ethanol-gec.org/fall2001/fall15.html
> Genencor Labs, Palo Alto, California
> Genencor International, Inc. announced that it has achieved its first
> technical milestone in its three-year contract with the U.S. Department of
> Energy Biofuels Program. Genencor developed and validated processes for
> improved cellulase enzymes that meet the intended objective at one-half
the
> cost of currently available technologies.
>
> "Advances in molecular biology and functional genomics enable us to push
the
> frontiers of commercial development and we're pleased to be making
progress
> toward developing new enzyme systems to accomplish the goal of this
> project," said Michael Arbige, Ph.D, Senior Vice President and Chief
> Technology Officer.
> The goal of the program is to develop new enzyme systems for the economic
> conversion of plant matter into ethanol and other valuable materials. DOE
> has determined that the cost of converting biomass into useable form is a
> critical stumbling block to producing biofuels and chemicals from
renewable
> raw materials.
>
> Specifically, Genencor and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are
> working to deliver enzyme systems enabling a 10-fold improvement in the
> economics of breaking down cellulosic material (plant matter) and other
> complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. "The United States is the
> world's leader in agriculture and biotechnology and the Department's
biomass
> research and development efforts take advantage of that position," said
> David Garman, the U.S. Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for
Energy
> Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "The President's Energy Policy promotes
> the development of renewable energy sources and we look to biomass for
> significant contributions to reducing America's dependence on foreign
oil."
>
> Howard this www. page no longer works.
> Biomass and Solar Technologies Lauded
> http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2004/3404_technologies_lauded.html
> Monday, July 12, 2004
>
> Golden, Colo. - Two technologies developed by the U.S. Department of
> Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory are among this year's most
> significant innovations, as judged by Research & Development (R&D)
Magazine.
>
> The Laboratory's two R&D 100 Awards for 2004 are for an innovative,
> lower-cost method for transforming plant material into the sugars that can
> be used to make fuels and chemicals, and a thin-film solar cell that
> produces electricity directly from sunlight, which has greater efficiency,
> and is lighter weight and more flexible than previous devices.
>
> This year's announcement brings to 37 the number of R&D 100 Awards
garnered
> by NREL.
>
> "Once again, the technologies developed by our Laboratory's researchers
are
> being acknowledged for their importance to the nation," said Stan Bull,
NREL
> associate director for science and technology. "It's particularly
gratifying
> that the R&D 100 Awards this year include two NREL technologies that can
> enhance our nation's energy security and reduce our reliance on foreign
> sources of oil."
>
> The Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Biomass Cellulose to Sugars technology is
> expected to allow a wide range of biomass resources to be used to produce
> energy and chemicals. It is an important step toward realizing the
potential
> of bio-refineries-in which plant and waste materials are used to produce
an
> array of fuels and chemicals, analogous to an oil refinery today.
>
> Through this technology, the cost of converting cellulosic biomass into
> usable sugars can be reduced by more than 20 times per gallon of ethanol
> produced.
>
> The award is shared by NREL, Genencor International and Novozymes Biotech,
> Inc. NREL researchers who worked on this project included Michael Himmel,
> Jim McMillan, Dan Schell, Jody Farmer, Nancy Dowe and Rafael Nieves.
>
> Also recognized for 2004 are light and flexible thin-film copper indium
> gallium diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic modules, which can be manufactured
in
> various sizes and have a compact, foldable design that allows for easy
> deployment, transport and storage.
>
> As a result, the modules have twice the power-to-weight ratio, and three
> times the power-to-size ratio as competing products. Because of this, they
> are especially suited for military applications, portable power for
consumer
> and public use, boating and other marine applications and building-related
> uses, such as for bus shelters and in PV-integrated roofing.
>
> The award is shared by NREL, Global Solar Energy and ITN Energy Systems.
> NREL researchers who worked on this project included Harin Ullal, Ken
> Zweibel and Bolko von Roedern.
>
> NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's premier laboratory for renewable
> energy research and development and a leading laboratory for energy
> efficiency R&D. NREL is operated for DOE by Midwest Research Institute and
> Battelle.
> For further information contact NREL Public Affairs at (303) 275-4090.
>
> NR-3404
>
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by tintala on June 22, 2008 at 19:16:53 PT:
DUPONT will support this/ imagine the innovations 
Dont you all think DUPONT will support this? I have seen duponts products are everywhere, it's in the fabric of society, so now hopefully hemp will replace what Dupont has ruled over for decades. Alot of companies will be obsolete, look at the LOGGING/ TIMBER INDUSTRIES, paying huge to the government. Whatch out FRUIT OF THE LOOM cotton, your ass is grass~! lol. not to mention OIL! I can't wait till I see the actual fabric of society goin to hemp. It already is in alot of mainstream places and products, we will have a whole economy based from one plant, imagine the innovations to come from hemp wholly crap!~
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by Sam Adams on June 22, 2008 at 17:06:42 PT
We can't do this! 
The oil companies won't like it! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on June 22, 2008 at 16:49:37 PT
Parallel Universe
Prohibition is the Crime. Yet Innocent People do the time.Reverse the insanity And Save all of HumanityNow I'm looking for a word to make this rhyme...Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by ekim on June 22, 2008 at 11:24:31 PT
Michigan Energy Fair
2008 Michigan Energy Fair
June 27-29, 2008
Manistee County Fairgrounds, Onekama, MI
http://www.glrea.org/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by The GCW on June 22, 2008 at 08:40:11 PT
Cannabis prohibition is the crime.
Cannabis prohibition is the crime.Hemp prohibition is the crime.Cannabis & hemp prohibitionist politicians &police are the criminals.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by potpal on June 22, 2008 at 07:34:07 PT
get with it
When will the fat cats understand that the 'people' no longer want to waste tax dollars chasing (eradicating) a plant! Or hassling those that enjoy using it responsibly, medicinally, and/or industrially to the benefit of the planet.An awful lot of what we pay big bucks to our public servants is based on cannabis prohibition, it's embedded in their twisted culture, sadly. Cops wouldn't know what to do with themselves without it in place. It's a plant, whole towns have named themselves after it!Hempwallace, AR, 
Hemp Swamp Brook, CT, 
Hempstead Brook, CT,
Hemp Key, FL, 
Hemp, GA, 
Hemp Factory Branch, IL, 
Hemp Ridge, KY,
Hemphill, KY,
Hemphill, LA, 
Hempfield Lake, MI, 
Hemphill Lake, MN, 
Hemple, MO, 
Hemp Hill, NH, 
Hempstead, NY, Nassau,
Hempstead, NY, Rockland, 
Hempstead Gardens, NY,
Hemp Patch Branch, NC, 
Hemphill Bald, NC,
Hemphill Creek, NC, 
Hemphill Knob, NC, 
Hempfield, PA,
Hemp Branch, SC, 
Hemphill Lake, SC, 
Hemp Fork, VA,
Hemphill, TX, 
Hempstead, TX, 
Hemp Mill Branch, VA,
Hemppatch Branch, VA, 
Hemppatch Mountain, VA, 
Hemp Hill Creek, WA,
Hempel Creek, WA,
Hempel Lake, WA, 
Hemphill, WV, 
Hempton Lake, WI, Cannabis prohibition is the crime.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 22, 2008 at 07:05:03 PT
Of Course It's Legal!
It should have never been illegal in the first place. If cops think it's too hard to enforce the law, whatever the law may be, they should find another line of employment.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by The GCW on June 21, 2008 at 20:54:56 PT
I don't know,
the police will not like this.Allowing free American farmer to grow hemp will send the wrong message to children.-0-I walked by a couple of Mr. Friendly's at a free Jamaican music performance tonight and I could've swore their cologne smelled like file cabinets.-0-While I was there, I thought of the concept of -Christian Reggae (seems like a natural) and thought I could not be thinking something original; someone must already be doing this. So I got home and googled... and this is something I found.Professor Linkin, God Is Alivehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGeJ_jY3yrE&feature=related-0-I read, "Gospel Reggae is the fastest growing segment of Reggae music today."
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment