cannabisnews.com: S.D. Voters: Debate Remains Heated Over Hemp
S.D. Voters: Debate Remains Heated Over Hemp
Posted by CN Staff on November 02, 2002 at 11:59:49 PT
By Randy Dockendorf, P&D Regional Editor
Source: Press & Dakotan
Is it pot or is it not? That is the debate raging over Initiated Measure 1, which would legalize industrial hemp (cannabis). The measure has drawn national interest from a wide range of groups.The measure would make it legal under state law -- but not under federal law -- for a person to plant, cultivate, harvest, possess, process, transport, sell or buy industrial hemp or any of its by-products with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of one percent or less.
Supporters say hemp differs from its cousin marijuana, is already imported for use in the United States and would become an important value-added ag product with multiple uses.Opponents say hemp lacks a market, and passage of the measure would violate federal law and serve as a cover for legalizing marijuana.Clear Lake farmer Bob Weber, a former state legislator, said 33 nations produce hemp for the world market, which has doubled every year since 1990 and stands at about $2 billion."Legal Canadian hemp is trucked past barely-surviving South Dakota farms to supply the U.S. industrial hemp market, which is $300 million, up from $125 million in 1999," Weber said."It is absurd to deny South Dakota farmers a shot at the U.S. market for a farm product which we already import."Industrial hemp has about 50,000 uses and is the most versatile crop on earth, Weber said. Hemp is used for the same purposes as trees, corn, soy, flax or cotton, or petroleum.Hemp is used for paper, methanol/ethanol gasoline additives, fabric, body-care lotions and soaps, building material, rope and twine, diesel fuel and food."For all these purposes, industrial hemp provides at least one superior product to what we normally use," Weber said.South Dakota farmers could produce enough hemp-seed oil alone to replace a significant portion of the diesel fuel the U.S. imports, Weber said. Hemp-seed oil provides a direct replacement for diesel fuel in any diesel engine, burning cleaner with no loss of power."We should have a textile mill and a paper mill on the Missouri River, making cloth and paper from South Dakota-grown hemp, using South Dakota water and South Dakota-produced power, providing South Dakotans with employment," he said.However, opponents question whether a market really exists for hemp.State lawmaker Ken Albers of Canton -- who opposed a hemp bill in Pierre -- said a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study estimates that U.S. imports of hemp fiber, yarn, fabric and seed could be produced on less than 5,000 acres. He also questioned the quality of hemp and whether it produces health hazards for the user or wearer."There are no markets for this, and there is also the necessity of a subsidy. If you grow an illegal product, who the hell are you going to go to for a subsidy?" Albers asked."This will be the next Jerusalem artichoke scam. I saw producers lose their farms over that. In each instance they bought seed, harvested it and then there wasn't a damn soul to buy it from them."Albers, a former Lincoln County sheriff, also questioned the motive behind the hemp effort. He noted that both hemp and marijuana contain THC, which he said would create a nightmare for drug officers."A great majority of law enforcement opposes the legalization of hemp," he said. "The only way you can tell the difference between hemp and marijuana is through a costly chemical analysis. If you have a field of industrial hemp, you could hide anything smokeable in it. If you have 80 acres of industrial hemp, you could put in one row of marijuana."Weber disputed the assertion, saying hemp and marijuana different greatly in looks and chemical composition."Hemp and marijuana are two different plants. Hemp grows like cane 6-8 feet tall, while marijuana grows like a bush. The hemp seeds have no THC, and hemp is used for food in China, India and Russia," he said."The hemp would kill out marijuana. Hemp seeds have no THC, and the stalk is under 1 percent THC while marijuana is 3 to 15 percent. At 1 percent, you could smoke it all day and not get high."Weber also argued that hemp does not harm the environment, and a simple $40 test can differentiate between hemp and marijuana.Besides questioning the usage of hemp, Albers noted the political and legal roadblocks even if South Dakota voters approve Tuesday's ballot measure.Federal law prohibiting hemp supersedes state law, so passage of Initiated Measure 1 doesn't guarantee South Dakota farmers would ever be allowed to grow the crop, Albers said.The federal government prohibits unlicensed production of both hemp and marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) must license hemp production. Under strict DEA guidelines, test plots must be enclosed within a 12-foot-high-fence with infrared surveillance.Albers questions the reason for passing a measure which violates federal law. He proposed going to Congress for changes."I don't believe you can change the law by violating the law. We can't just do what we want to do," he said.However, Weber said passage of the initiated measure will continue the grass-roots movement which can bring federal action. He noted, ironically, that the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp."About 20 states have supported hemp in a resolution. We believe that if 30 states show support for hemp, the federal government will give states the authority to decide," he said.Albers said the measure will only lead to economic and legal problems down the line."If we get Congress to legalize it, then we have to get law enforcement to learn the difference between hemp and marijuana," he said. "There is no value for doing this (ballot measure). Until it's legal, leave it alone."Weber disagreed, calling on the state's voters to send a message."We need to tell big government that they are stepping too much on the small producers of South Dakota," he said. "Give us a chance to make this work, like we did with ethanol during the past 10 years. We can put pressure on Washington to get it done."Complete Title: S.D. Voters To Decide Fate Of Measure Debate Remains Heated Over Hemp Source: Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (SD)Author: Randy Dockendorf, P&D Regional Editor Published: Saturday, November 2, 2002Copyright: 2002 Yankton Daily Press & DakotanWebsite: http://www.yankton.netContact: newsroom yankton.netRelated Articles & Web Site:South Dakota NORMLhttp://www.sodaknorml.org/Voters to Decide on Hemp Initiative http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14596.shtmlHemp Initiative Offers South Dakota A Process http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13235.shtmlSouth Dakota Voters To Decide On Industrial Hemp http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13170.shtml
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Comment #11 posted by mayan on November 03, 2002 at 06:11:37 PT
Thanks...
for the links, folks! I wonder why the Washington Post doesn't come out with an article stating how Measure 1 is certain to falter...according to their latest "survey".I just can't wait till this passes!
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Comment #10 posted by DdC on November 02, 2002 at 20:13:47 PT
"Horror Story Contest" awards (So.Dak.)
The Power of the People. Bob sets a fine example of what one person can do...His dedication and commitment will do more for the Dakotians than any politcking in D.C. A true American Hero by any standards. We salute you Bob!
Thanks!Peace, Love and Liberty DdCFrom: "Bob Newland" newland rapidcity.com For Immediate Releaseposted by Bob Newland http://www.CommonSenseJustice.Us/RAPID CITY (SD) 31 OCTOBER 2002 -- South Dakota's proposed Constitutional Amendment "A" proponents announced the winners in their "Courtroom Horror Story Contest" today. Larry Dodge and Bob Newland, founders of "Common Sense Justice for South Dakotans", picked Rapid City resident (and Rosebud Sioux Tribe member) Mia Goings as the person whose story best represents the deficiencies in justice inherent in many South Dakota criminal prosecutions.After receiving over 70 entries in the "Horror Story Contest", Newland and Dodge eliminated many (although all are still posted at http://www.CommonSenseJustice.Us/contest/entries1.htm) which did not meet the criteria for a winning entry, or which simply could not be verified well enough, then spent many hours whittling away at the remainder (about 50 of the 70-some entries)."Most of these stories are heart-breakers," Newland said. "Granted, all are probably not true, or, more properly, several probably do not include ALL relevant information. However, a common theme (along with several names of prosecutors and judges) is seen to develop -- corrupt prosecutors, police, and judges; lazy, corrupt and/or inept defense attorneys (especially public defenders); and a system which is like a tar pit: once you're in it, you stay in it.""It was not an easy task to pick the 'worst loser' in a game -- the justice system -- structured to produce losers," Newland said somewhat sarcastically. "Mia Goings, in spite of doing what she can to raise three children as well as possible, is in the tar pit. One slip -- even a harmless act of fate -- can cost Mia her family and her freedom, such as her 'freedom' is under the terms of her current status within the system. I was particularly intrigued by the public defender's remark that there was 'nothing postive' in the record about Ms. Goings. How does one get a 'positive' record in the system?"Read Mia Goings story at
http://www.CommonSenseJustice.Us/index.html#worstAfter picking the "winner", who will receive $2002.00, Dodge and Newland, as per the contest rules, randomly selected two of the remaining qualifying stories to each win $1001.00.They are: [snip] of Presho, and Sharla Van Bockern of Sioux Falls. [snip], Entry 045 on the web site, relates a story about how a completely non-violent family quarrel resulted in her father going to jail for the first and only time in his life, and having his gun collection confiscated for nearly a year, even though the incident did not involve firearms on anyone’s part. Van Bockern, in Entry 056, explains how a police officer turned her innocent involvement in a traffic jam into a legal nightmare.Newland and Dodge decided that another dozen of the stories sent to them deserved “honorable mentions” and prizes of $100 each. “Even though we’d planned to make only three awards, we just couldn’t let this contest end without awarding something to these folks, too, because they all had such awful stories to tell,” Dodge said. “These additional winners and their stories are all identified on our web site, and we urge anyone interested, especially anyone who thinks ‘It can’t happen here’, or that the system ‘ain’t broke’ to log in and have a look.”The "honorable mention" story authors and entry numbers are listed below.002 Matthew Ducheneaux, 003 Jen Stahl, 006 Brenda Woodruff, 013 Richard Crutchfield, 018 Danny Goodroad, 021 Gary Kaiser, 035 Michael Robinson, 038 Thomas Pellegrino, 051 Steve Layton, 053 Levi Flute, 063 James Hanna, 069 Fidel Arguello
Newland and Dodge urge all South Dakotans to vote "Yes!" on Amendment A next Tuesday. They also urge you to visit the web site -- http://www.CommonSenseJustice.Us/ and to contribute to their campaign to restore a bit of common sense to the justice system in South Dakota."It's been a long, exhausting campaign," Newland said. "We started this thing three years ago when we asked the first person to sign the petition with the introductory question, 'Would you like to help improve the criminal justice sytem in South Dakota?'""We've received help from hundreds of people, but we still have tapped our personal funds to the point of non-existence. We can still use your help, even though the election is only a few days away. Win or lose at the polls, our work won't be done," Newland said. "Personally, I'm not sure if I have enough gas money to drive to the polling place," Newland smiled.Common Sense Justice 426 E Fairmont Blvd, #9 Rapid City SD 57701To contribute by credit card, call 1-877-687-5297 (toll-free)You can also use PayPal (PayPal ID is newland rapidcity.com).From: Bob Newland
Subject: Alex White Plume
Message-ID: 3BE57796.A56ED9BB rapidcity.comThe following editorial ran in the Rapid City (SD) Journal on Saturday, October 20, 2001.Hemp Policy Absurd
by Bob Newland*****Bob Newland, a Hermosa (SD) writer and publisher, recently released a compilation of South Dakota press coverage, essays and facts about hemp, called, after the U.S. gov't's slogan for its hemp production campaign during WWII, "Hemp for Victory!".*****
(I have the complete story but haven't cybraried it yet.}Petition Drive Under Way To Put Hemp On Ballot
By Kelly Sprecher, The Daily Republic
Source: Daily Republic At first glance, chances are that nobody would expect longtime Mitchell resident Gladys Baldwin to be a hemp supporter. But Baldwin - a retired realtor, the daughter of a farmer, an active community member and a senior citizen - is among those who say it may be a good idea to legalize the growth and production of industrial hemp in South Dakota.A petition, started by Hermosa artist Bob Newland, is criss-crossing its way through South Dakota, hoping to secure enough signatures to land an initiated measure on the 2002 ballot that would ask voters to allow the growth and production of hemp. Read More...
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11519.shtmlSouth Dakota Plants Hemp
http://www.sodaknorml.org/plantpix.htmOn May 8, 2001, Bob Newland, President of SoDakNORML, planted two hemp seeds at the Custer County Courthouse, at Custer, SD, one seed for each word in the phrase, "Common Sense" May was the kick-off of the campaign to put the right of farmers to grow hemp on the 2002 ballot. Do you want to help? If you live in South Dakota, or want to come here for a while.Our American Common Law
http://www.svpvril.com/OACL.html"We the People are the rightful master of both congress and the courts - not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."
Abraham LincolnHow FIJA Saved My Life!
http://serendipity.magnet.ch/jsmill/fija1293.htmErowid Freedom Vault : Jury Nullification
http://www.erowid.org/freedom/jury_nullification/jury_nullification.shtmlFrom: Bob Newland
Subject:White Plume/Hemp 4 Victory!http://www.sodakNORML.org/http://www.sodakHEMP.org/The Lakota Journal ran the attached ad in its Sept. 10-16 (current) issue. The copy follows, in case it's hard to read on the attached image file.On Aug. 24, 2000, and again on July 30, 2001, armed terrorists sponsored by the U.S. gov’t. invaded the Lakota Nation in clear violation of treaty agreements. The U.S.-financed terrorists held Alex White Plume and his family at gunpoint while they plundered and destroyed his "wahupta" (hemp) crops. The terrorists then fled back across the border to U.S. strongholds.Why did they do it? Just to show you they could.HempCar visits Watertown, So. Dak. on behalf of SoDakHEMP
(all text and pictures courtesy Watertown Public Opinion ©2001) http://www.sodakhemp.org/pohempcar.htm The Hemp Car, a promotional idea of a couple working for the legalization of industrial hemp production in the U.S., made a two-hour stop in Watertown (SD) Friday (Aug. 3, 2001).
Virginia couple works for hemp legalization
by Terry O'Keefe, staff writer
Kellie and Grayson Sigler, a Virginia couple who work with microfarming, green house design and alternative agriculture and environmental issues, have been on the road for a month in the 1983 Mercedes Benz station wagon, crossing the country and into Canada powered by pure hemp oil.
http://www.hempcar.org
http://www.sodakhemp.org/hempcarpicpo.gif
http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/37/37873.gifHemp for Victory
http://www.sodakhemp.org/h4v.htmClothing Arguments: Reviews & Resources
http://www.motherjones.com/mother_jones/JA97/clothing.htmlAudubon Society: Legalize It!
http://magazine.audubon.org/incite/incite9911.html Hemp History in Audubon
http://www.hempembargo.com/_disc6/0000004d.htm Welcome to Sacramental Cannabis Food, Fuel, Fiber, FARMaceuticals, Hardrug&Booze Alternative...http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/index.html
Hemp for Victory Poster
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on November 02, 2002 at 19:22:26 PT
VitaminT
That sounds so good and the picture of the loaves make me hungry. I like the baker's smile too!
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Comment #8 posted by VitaminT on November 02, 2002 at 19:16:29 PT
While I was poking around
on the web looking for the article that mayan was trying to find, I was happy to see the page below posted on GlobalHemp.com.I work upstairs from the little bakery in this article and I have to tell you the "Pain Biologique" (French for organic bread) is wonderful. You can see the hemp seeds in it - with a little olive oil I could eat a whole loaf by myself at one sitting! And friends, this ain't no mushy American bread!If you live in Houston or plan to be in town stop in at 4100 Montrose Blvd. and try it! The coffee there is great too but I don't know any other place to get the bread.I'd like to send a loaf to that guy in South Dakota with a note: Don't tell me there's no market for hemp products!
Bread Head
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on November 02, 2002 at 18:14:29 PT
mayan
Here are 2 articles that mention the endorsement of the South Dakota Farmers Union. Hope this helps. Hemp Initiative Offers South Dakota A Process: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13235.shtml South Dakota Voters To Decide On Industrial Hemp: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13170.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by VitaminT on November 02, 2002 at 18:07:08 PT
Mayan
this is probably the same one
SD Farmers Union endorses industrial hemp drive
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on November 02, 2002 at 17:57:58 PT
Here it is!
I couldn't find the old C-News article, but this will work!
All of these South Dakota farmers must be potheads. They should all be thrown in jail for questioning the wisdom of the federal government!South Dakota Farmers Union Unanimously Endorses Industrial Hemp Initiative:
http://www.progress.org/hemp03.htm
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on November 02, 2002 at 17:47:32 PT
FoM...
I was wondering if you could find the article about the farmer's union in South Dakota that unanimously endorsed hemp. I believe there were thousands of farmers who supported the idea. If you can find it could you post it here or at the end of this article? I will do my own search for it in the meantime & I'll post it if I beat you to it!I can't really add anything to what VitaminT & canaman have said. The narcs are truly desperate. Measure 1 is bound to pass with flying colors & all of their lies will only expose their true motives! Here are some links most of you have probably seen, but I'm sure there are new visitors here every day. This site is getting more & more popular, thanks to FoM & all who make C-News possible!Cannabis Hemp:The Invisible Prohibition Revealed
http://www.sumeria.net/politics/invpro.htmlSHADOW OF THE SWASTIKA:The Real Reason the Government Won't Debate Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Re-legalization
http://www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html
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Comment #3 posted by canaman on November 02, 2002 at 14:05:04 PT
You are correct Vitimin T
The last thing thing a gorilla pot grower wants to see in the neighborhood is a hemp field! That dang pollen goes everywhere! OMG maybe I shouldn't give the opposition any ideas. Naw they need to keep hemp illegal so they can add all the feral hemp still growing from when it was legal to confiscation numbers. Can't look like they're not working. Tax dollars at work?
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Comment #2 posted by VitaminT on November 02, 2002 at 13:33:01 PT
The narcs are desparate
POINT BY POINT"U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study estimates that U.S. imports of hemp fiber, yarn, fabric and seed could be produced on less than 5,000 acres."Mainly because USDA want's to protect the market in petsicides and herbicides for giant chemical corporations like Monsanto and DuPont. Our principle fiber crop, Cotton is completely dependent upon these chemicals to be a viable crop at all. These expensive, polluting chemicals are also among the main reasons farmers need subsidies. Hemp generally doesn't need chemicals! Water, Sunlight - you know kind of like God planned it in the first place!"He also questioned the quality of hemp and whether it produces health hazards for the user or wearer." He questions it but cites no research backing it up - in other words he invented it out of thin air."There are no markets for this, and there is also the necessity of a subsidy"Says who? Legalize Hemp and let some of the already failing South Dakota farms produce a crop on spec and see if they can't sell it. I'd guess that most farmers would prefer not to have to rely on government welfare to stay in business anyway. Ultimately given all the uses for Hemp, buyers will be competing hard to get their hands on it as feedstocks for products they ALREADY produce - then who will even need a hand out from Uncle Scam?"This will be the next Jerusalem artichoke scam. I saw producers lose their farms over that. In each instance they bought seed, harvested it and then there wasn't a damn soul to buy it from them."Name some of the Industrial uses for the Jerusalem artichoke? Has it been used as the foundation of entire economies for thousands of years? Let's stick to valid comparisons. Most people in America have never even heard of the Jerusalem artichoke - try to find someone who has never heard of Hemp!"The only way you can tell the difference between hemp and marijuana is through a costly chemical analysis. If you have a field of industrial hemp, you could hide anything smokeable in it. If you have 80 acres of industrial hemp, you could put in one row of marijuana."No no no my ignorant friend, hemp is not grown in rows, it is very densely packed, which is why it is so highly productive - you get many tons from the acre! The presence of hemp is VERY BAD for the production of smokeable herb. Pollen is not your friend if you want a high THC content, therefore a hemp field is the last place you'd want your plants to flower - now in a corn field? that's a different story! As far as telling the difference between the two - anyone can tell the difference if they'd take a few minutes to learn, no chemical testing required.
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Comment #1 posted by canaman on November 02, 2002 at 12:25:49 PT
Grow hemp everywhere South Dakota !
Let the 'free' market decide if it's profitable. Not a bunch of ignorant cops.>He also questioned the quality of hemp and whether it produces health hazards for the user or wearer.This has to be one of the most STUPID statements I've ever heard! Yes wearing hemp will give you cancer and may attract evil spirits!
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