cannabisnews.com: Bring On The Hemp





Bring On The Hemp
Posted by CN Staff on September 08, 2006 at 20:17:49 PT
Editorial
Source: Winston-Salem Journal
North Carolina -- Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both farmed it. The U.S. Navy sailed with it. And today it is used in hundreds of products, from energy bars to auto parts. Hemp is an agricultural product with an enormous potential, especially in North Carolina, where the idea of legalizing it has been floated several times. But hemp is a cousin of marijuana, and no amount of reasoning about the differences in the two has overcome political fears of being associated with dope. The federal government will hear nothing of it, either.
 California and seven other states are on the brink of forcing a showdown on the federal government's refusal to sanction hemp agriculture. The New York Times reports that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must decide whether he will allow a recently passed hemp bill to become law. He could veto it, sign it, or allow it to become law without his signature. His decision won't be politically easy. The Office of National Drug Control Policy and California narcotics officers are both opposed. The federal government has been adamant about anything having anything to do with marijuana, even medical marijuana. The main fear expressed in news articles on the topic is that hemp cultivation would mask marijuana farms. A huge crop of hemp planted alongside marijuana would make it difficult for police to find the marijuana. That's why North Dakota officials, who want to allow hemp farming, say they are ready to enact tough regulations for hemp growers. They'd register any such farms, open them to inspection, and require their owners to be fingerprinted by authorities. Back in California, those who support the bill passed by the California legislature contend that a federal appellate court decision backs their position that the federal government has no authority to block hemp cultivation. More than 30 countries allow the cultivation of hemp. The United States already imports a great deal of that hemp to use in the manufacture of a wide range of products. It appears to make no sense to block hemp production just because it is related to marijuana, especially since it contains only a tiny amount of the chemical that brings about a marijuana high. There's no certainty that legalized hemp cultivation would be a big hit in North Carolina, or in any of the other states. China controls about 40 percent of the world's production already. But there are big parts of this state that could use a crop that produces a good income, and if the climate and soil here are good for that crop, then farmers should be able to give it a try. There are ways around the problems associated with hemp's similarities to marijuana. The federal government just has to decide that it wants to pursue those remedies. Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC)Published: September 8, 2006Copyright: 2006 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc.Contact: letters wsjournal.comWebsite: http://www.journalnow.com/ CannabisNews Hemp Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml
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Comment #20 posted by Wayne on September 10, 2006 at 08:03:26 PT
re: whig, Jack Herer
That would be a tough choice to make. Hemp, or Jack Herer. In the end, I think I would have to choose hemp, simply because the legalization of hemp would be a choice made for the good of the Earth. I would explain in detail my reasoning for making the choice, and although he may disagree with the decision and say so publicly, I think in the end Mr. Herer would respect me for being honest about my choice and my reasons for it.And also, in the end I really don't believe that anyone would actually succeed at trying to use hemp to eradicate cannabis. I think the cannabis plant is a little more resilient than that, and so are the people that grow it. If someone tried to sew some hempseeds in a cannabis plantation, and it actually did overtake the field, that grower would simply relocate...like they've always done before. It would definitely be an inconvenience for them, but certainly not a defeat. As much as some drug warriors might like to think so, I don't think hemp would be the answer for all-out cannabis eradication. The fight would go on and on, until they finally decide to give up.
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Comment #19 posted by whig on September 10, 2006 at 01:56:58 PT
on voting
http://cannablog.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/on-voting/
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Comment #18 posted by whig on September 10, 2006 at 01:56:15 PT
mayan
I don't know enough about so many things to vote well. I see this as an essential problem with the system of laws we have. Imagine if I were a Governor, and I were presented with this bill, and had to decide between the advocates of hemp cultivation and Jack Herer.I couldn't make that decision, mayan. It would break me.So we need to find a better way to solve things.I just wrote something about my thoughts on voting because it was on my mind today. I was at a festival working with Cannabis Action Network and I'm always confronted by this dilemma that my fellow advocates are voting and advocating votes for medical marijuana. And I want people to vote for medical marijuana if they are going to vote, so I'm glad to say it. But then I have to admit that I do not vote and it is as if I am part of the problem. I don't believe I am.
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on September 09, 2006 at 21:07:09 PT
John Tyler 
Thank you. I have it posted now.http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22145.shtml
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Comment #16 posted by mayan on September 09, 2006 at 19:31:56 PT
Whig
I'm sure Jack Herer means it. He's always been a purist when it comes to hemp. He is also worried about California's medicinal cannabis crop being contaminated and the introduction of "terminator" genes which would mainly profit biotech corporations,screw the farmers and ruin the native hemp forever. Imho, I believe that Jack just doesn't want to see a bad bill passed. If California embarks on an unsuccessful endeavor to cultivate industrial hemp it could cause other state's to turn away for a long time to come. Jack knows a lot more about industrial hemp and California's bill than I do and it would probably be wise to at least consider what he's saying.And on another unrelated note, here's yet another MSNBC Poll...Do you believe any 9/11 conspiracy theories that indicate the U.S. government was involved?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/It looks like the real power brokers are going to throw someone to the wolves soon. It's either that or another staged terror attack and that won't go over to well with 9/11 TRUTH CREEPING INTO THE MAINSTREM...Press Release: SCHOLARS FOR 9/11 TRUTH ASSAILED:
http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/PressRelease20060909.htmlFull house as leading 9/11 conspiracy theorist has his say:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1868445,00.html9/11 skeptic to discuss doubts over official story:
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060909/News01/60909010Indications add up to government conspiracy:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/284273_conspire08.htmlA Grieving Mother Wonders What Really Happened on 9/11:
http://www.independent.com/opinion/2006/09/unanswered_questions.html9/11 Kean Commission Report Exposed as 'Fraud of Historic Proportions' on 9/11 Fifth Anniversary by Former 'Star Wars' Program Director:
http://tinyurl.com/jv6y2ABC Partisan Wars & 9/11 Myth Maintenance:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20060909170030361The Meeting (humor):
http://newworldorwell.blogspot.com/2006/09/meeting.html
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Comment #15 posted by John Tyler on September 09, 2006 at 18:56:32 PT
I found it
This pro hemp opinion piece is from September 4th 2006. It is titled “This Bud’s for you”.
Here is the link. http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190415991
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 09, 2006 at 14:59:36 PT
John Tyler 
I'm sorry I missed it. Please if you ever see an article post the link for me. I think a pro hemp article from every state would be great. That might make the powers that be listen a little.
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Comment #13 posted by ekim on September 09, 2006 at 14:29:47 PT
John /T could be the fuelprospects
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."
 
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Comment #12 posted by John Tyler on September 09, 2006 at 14:06:36 PT
another editorial
This is curious. There was a strong pro hemp agriculture editorial in the Richmond VA conservative newspaper a couple of day earlier. (For those not familiar with the East Coast, VA is just north of NC. They have been and are rivals in everything from football, to agriculture, to business.) This is too strange to be a coincidence. There may be something going on behind the scenes. Sometimes policy shifts are presaged by pro shift editorials. If the media is for it, and the people are for it, (the people that count that is meaning the money people) then the politicians will be for it also. 
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Comment #11 posted by whig on September 09, 2006 at 10:07:31 PT
mayan
Is Jack Herer using reverse psychology here?I don't want Schwarzenegger to veto the bill. Let hemp be grown regardless of its nativity. That some might be GM would be a separate thing to address and prohibit -- all GM crops are disturbing and that should be considered a threat to sustainable agriculture. But non-native, low-THC hemp if it is natural or even bred by traditional cross pollination, ought to be grown wherever one wishes to plant it, unless you want to prohibit the planting of all non-native variants of every kind of thing too.
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Comment #10 posted by ekim on September 09, 2006 at 09:20:39 PT
See a Leap speaker in your area
Sep 10 06 Henry David Thoreau Unitarian Church 10:00 AM Terry Nelson Stafford Texas USA 
 Not quite Walden Pond, but Speaker Terry Nelson will meet with members of the Henry David Thoreau Unitarian Church. Terry will be talking to church members about the failures of drug prohibition and will offer a viable solution to the problem. Members of different denominations are welcomed to attend. Location: 3945 Greenbriar, Suites D and E. Visit their web site at: http://www.tuuc.org/ Sep 10 06 First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston 01:00 PM Terry Nelson Houston Texas USA 
 Members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston welcome Speaker Terry Nelson to meet with members of their congreagation to discuss the failures of drug prohibition. Members of other faiths are welcomed to attend. Location: 5200 Fannin. Visit their web site at: http://www.firstuu.org/ 
Sep 12 06 The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America 12:00 PM Norm Stamper Washington District of Columbia USA 
 The Cato Institute will hold a policy forum featuring author Radley Balko, Policy Analyst, and Norm Stamper, Seattle Police Chief (Ret.) and author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's ExposÈ of the Dark Side of Policing. Radley and Norm will present "Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America". Location: The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. 
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on September 09, 2006 at 06:47:53 PT
Can He Do That?
From the "Will "The Terminator" Terminate Cannabis Hemp in California? Hemp Pioneer Opposes Bill on Schwarzenegger's Desk" article (scroll down)... http://www.jackherer.com/index.html"Dave West (Ph.D), a plant breeder who ran the Hawaii Industrial Hemp Project from 1999-2003, predicted Schwarzenegger will send back the bill until it’s watered down to a study, as happened in Illinois. “That’s not a victory,” West said. “It will mold in some university papermill.” West does think the scarce remaining germplasm of native U.S. hemp needs to be collected and studied at the University level." Can Arnold send the bill back? I thought he had to either sign it,veto it, or just let it sit and become law. I must say, if Jack Herer is opposed to California's bill then I must have second thoughts about it.By the way, the Illinois hemp study bill(s) were both vetoed by then Governor Ryan. He was just sentenced to 6 1/2 years in federal prison on corruption charges. I find it hard to have sympathy for him.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on September 09, 2006 at 06:43:23 PT
Schwarzenegger
Schwarzenegger Schwarzenegger Schwarzenegger
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on September 09, 2006 at 06:42:39 PT
Imagine
the pressure that is being put on Swartzeneger.If he wants to be the best he can be, he will sign it.
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Comment #6 posted by mayan on September 09, 2006 at 06:13:54 PT
Hmmm
I'm no expert but maybe hemp poses a problem to the bio-tech industry when it comes to creating a gm seed. Maybe they haven't figured out how to produce the "terminator" or "suicide seeds" with hemp and the government is waiting for them to develop that seed. If they can't put a patent on it so some corporation can profit then they don't want it to exist at all.Pause. I just did a google search and I found some very interesting comments by Jack Herer. Scroll down to "Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger". The two articles that follow are quite interesting also... http://www.jackherer.com/index.htmlHmmm.
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on September 09, 2006 at 05:56:30 PT
Oh, Yeah...
I forgot to post this link. I strongly urge everyone to read this and pass this around to everyone you know. The web of corruption and deceit that our corporate and government "leaders" are in is huge. They will go to any length to have absolute control our food supply. That will give them more power over us than controlling the oil and coal! It's no wonder they don't want hemp! This is very interesting and very,very frightening... Monsanto Buys ‘Terminator’ Seeds Company: http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=15163 
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on September 09, 2006 at 05:48:56 PT
Don't Forget Cotton
Cotton is pretty big in North Carolina also. I imagine their farmers wouldn't mind another planting option which would require very little fertilizer,pesticide and herbicide. Farmers everywhere could use another crop simply for rotation purposes. The fact that industrial hemp is still illegal in 2006 is absolutely insane! Unfortunately, I don't see the feds recognizing our right to cultivate it anytime soon as it would lead us to sustainability. They definitely don't want that. They want everything to be genetically modified so that none of our crops can produce viable seed thereby forcing our farmers to buy seed every season.Our country's ability to produce it's own food is vital to national security. I'm afraid that the greedheads are too short-sighted to realize that. SHADOW OF THE SWASTIKA: The Real Reason the Government Won't Debate Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Re-legalization: http://www.hempfarm.org/Papers/Shadow_of_the_Swastika.htmlTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...BYU places '9/11 truth' professor on paid leave: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645199800,00.htmlA Mickey Mouse 9/11 from ABC: http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1182.shtmlMAINSTREAM MEDIA GETTING DESPERATE OVER SO-CALLED ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’! http://lataan.blogspot.com/2006/09/mainstream-media-getting-desperate.htmlThe Path To 9/11 Is The Path To Distraction: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/september2006/090906pathtodistraction.htmKurt Nimmo tears into Cockburn: http://kurtnimmo.com/?p=556Bin Laden Tape Betrays 'Phony Hijacker' Contradiction: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/september2006/080906binladentape.htmBeating a Dead Horse Until it Rises From the Dead: http://smokingmirrors.blogspot.com/2006/09/beating-dead-horse-until-it-rises-from.htmlDavid Hawkins and David Ray Griffin on Coast to Coast AM this 9/11: http://911blogger.com/node/2679Why The Media Embraced '911 Truth': http://rense.com/general73/truth.htmFollowing Zakheim and Pentagon trillions to Israel and 9-11: http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1047.shtml 
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 09, 2006 at 05:45:03 PT
Whig
I found the article interesting. I was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I also smoked Salems and Winstons years ago. LOL!
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Comment #2 posted by whig on September 08, 2006 at 23:27:24 PT
The Dam is breaking
Once we have it in California, it has to be everywhere or else the farmers in North Carolina and everywhere else will be cut out of production and at a permanent competitive disadvantage if it lets California get out ahead for long enough.
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Comment #1 posted by whig on September 08, 2006 at 23:25:34 PT
Winston-Salem
Sounds like the tobacco industry is wanting to get on board with hemp.I know it's just the newspaper for the town, but that's a town that tobacco interests rule.
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