cannabisnews.com: Woolsey Weaves Case for Legalizing Hemp










  Woolsey Weaves Case for Legalizing Hemp

Posted by CN Staff on March 11, 2008 at 11:00:01 PT
By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News 
Source: Rocky Mountain News 

Colorado -- Former CIA Director Jim Woolsey is scheduled to address a meeting today at the Canadian Consulate in Denver. But he won't speak about terrorism.Woolsey, who has served under former President Clinton and has been an adviser to President Bush, will hold court via telephone on another of his favorite topics: industrial hemp.
Commercial farming of hemp is banned in the United States for its apparent similarities to marijuana - a charge repudiated by hemp supporters. Developed regions such as Europe and Canada allow farmers to grow hemp for industrial purposes such as ropes or fabrics. The Canadian consulate in Denver supports the move to lift the ban.Woolsey says hemp, if allowed in the U.S., could become a low-water-consuming and easy- to-grow feedstock for biofuels. Also, because of its biological properties, hemp could inhibit the growth of illegal marijuana through cross-pollination."Historically, the Drug Enforcement Administration has interpreted hemp to be in the marijuana band so as to include a ban on it," Woolsey said Monday during a phone interview with the Rocky. "In fact, what that is doing is undermining the single most effective way to cause trouble for marijuana.""Hemp is so valuable, the last time I looked, it was many times more than the price of wheat and has industrial uses so substantial," added Woolsey, a self-described conservative Democrat who also serves on the board of the North American Industrial Hemp Council."If you harvested hemp, you could use part of the plant for industrial purposes and the rest of the plant for cellulosic feed- stock for some type of biofuels."Today's meeting is expected to draw about three dozen supporters of industrial hemp, including farmers and representatives from Colorado legislators. Most farmers' lobbies, including those in Colorado, support lifting the ban on industrial hemp. They hope to pass a resolution in the current legislative session, said Mike Bowman, chairman of the Colorado Industrial Hemp Initiative.A pending bill in Congress, if approved, would give rights to states to regulate industrial hemp. Complete Title: Former CIA Director Woolsey Weaves Case for Legalizing HempNewshawk: EkimSource: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)Author: Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain NewsPublished: March 11, 2008Copyright: 2008 Denver Publishing Co.Contact: letters rockymountainnews.comWebsite: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/CannabisNews Hemp Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml

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Comment #33 posted by ekim on September 22, 2011 at 21:01:14 PT
we need to pass down natural seeds to the children
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/section/radio/2011/09/20Report Finds Bugs Evolving To Resist Biotech Crops
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Comment #32 posted by ekim on September 16, 2011 at 20:38:44 PT
Univ of Mississippi is only place growing cannabis
one would think that when cellulose is needed the cannabis plant would come to mind. 
At 77per cent cellulose it is one of the highest in the land.And why butanol in stead of ethanol and why put it next to a refinery -- why not in your town for your fuel.http://www.npr.org/2011/09/16/140537852/probing-poop-for-cellulose-chomping-microbes
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Comment #31 posted by ekim on March 17, 2008 at 08:07:26 PT
interesting info on 25x25 alliance on renewabls
brings up the question what does the 25x25 people think about using Hemp as a feed stock for bio-fuels.How to Make Renewable Fuels Sustainable  
 25x’25 alliance releases production principles. 
  
 Compiled By Staff (March 14, 2008)  
 http://www.miagbiz.org/
  More News... 
http://www.miagbiz.org/
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Comment #30 posted by ekim on March 15, 2008 at 20:35:09 PT
thanks paul 
when i read something about Illinois i think about all the good will you did with the Leos.good luck to you
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Comment #29 posted by Hope on March 15, 2008 at 15:00:43 PT
Crist Wants To Maintain Drug Penalties
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n286/a06.html?397
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Comment #28 posted by paulpeterson on March 15, 2008 at 11:40:52 PT
ekim-I'm here, lurking, with thoughts
I like that "2nd chance act", however, since Danny Davis was the chief architect, I don't think Bush will sign it.Of course, brave new world US District Court Judge Robert Pratt, of Des Moines, Iowa, already has "signed in" on this effort-He was the judge that "kicked the snot out of the drug war", by sentencing an Ecstasy conspirator to "probation" (actually, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled him, because of mandatory minimums he "violated", and then the US Supreme Court reinstated his decision, and he was only quoted as saying, in response to some attorney's question, that he was glad the "US Supreme Court kicked the snot out of the court that reversed him", etc., and I was the one that "morphed" that into him kicking the snot out of the drug war, etc.).And with the recent case where the crack vs. powdered distinction was overruled, and the sentencing "commission" adopting the plan to let our people go (some 20,000, that is), the drug war is getting the "snot" kicked out of it, nicely, isn't it? That, by the way, is probably the nexus as to why and how Danny could overrule the anties that were blocking passage of the 2nd chance act-with an increase in releases, it sounds like it is unpatriot to REFUSE TO HELP OVERCOME RECIDIVISM, EH?And by the way, Judge Robert Pratt also did a TV short, about how it is safe to hire convicted felons, if they are off the stuff, that is, and "certified", and/which sounds like he was already supporting some of the focus of this 2nd chance act (A REALLY GOOD THINKER, IS HE). He has also ruled that prison ministry program unconstitutional, because they hit convicts over the head to "convert them" to one brand. Sounds like "establishment of one religion", etc.Meanwhile, I already posted an email to Clarence Page (Chicago Tribune guy, always a supporter of drug war reform), about the PERJURIES of two Chicago lawyers, that got away with insurance fraud, 7 years ago (but I never hear back from him or anybody else, ever).Also, meanwhile, I have caught local Northwest Iowa cops and prosecutors in an evidence destruction, tampering, concealment, withholding, perjury & malicious prosecution "RACKET", AND I HAVE AN INTERIM APPEAL PENDING WITH THE IOWA SUPREME COURT RIGHT NOW, attempting also to have lawyers here that have committed evidence crimes to be prosecuted (not likely, of course, by the same "good old boy" network that sponsors the drug war, roundly stated as such).So, to try to up the antie, I also FILED SUIT IN FEDERAL COURT, FOR DAMAGES, AND I NAMED THE IOWA SUPREME COURT AS AN ADDITIONAL DEFENDANT-ie: if they give me the "withheld evidence", they can maintain their traditional IMMUNITY FROM SUIT, but if they withhold concealed evidence, I will argue they have lost IMMUNITY! This might be my only good chance of getting the goods here. A guy has to develop a "pattern" to convince the shakers that it is better to do the honest thing than to risk getting caught doing the dishonest thing, if that makes sense, eh?By the way, ekim, I have responded to your post, addressed to some person with initials, "P P", and/but if it wasn't me you were invoking, sorry if I have responded inapproprietly. I wouldn't want to be arrested for "harrasment", or soliciting, someone, for anything, and please, confirm that you are 18 or older, and I specifically must deny, at this time, that I am involved in any CONSPIRACY, to do anything, and I'm not gay, and I don't reach out and touch someone, when I am sitting on the throne, in a twin city, like that Idaho Spud, did, and then admitted fault, and now is trying to withdraw his guilty plea, and further, I must say hello to SNAKES (he is my local law enforcement liaison, Captain Todd Erskine, I call him "Snakes", affectionately, and I am just sure he is violating both state and federal law, by using a "revolving" wiretap, without any warrant, but of course, we all know we can't knock those LEO's using no-knock warrants, etc., but now I'm getting redundant, eh?)And how about that New York Spritzer fellow, that got knocked out of the governor's mansion, in about a NEW YORK MINUTE, for doing what he prosecuted others for doing, eh?He shoulda just copped some reefer, dude, and stayed home, with his kids, rather than paying the piper to piper down in some fancy hotel rooms, but you know, once these goons get "hooked" on doing "risky business", and busting people for wanting what they can't get at home, the excitement at the office sometimes "bleeds" out after work, don't it?Oh well, I'm done now, and/but thanks for noticing, eh?
PAUL PETERSON 712-732-2620 (Call me, Snakes, I'd love to chat about your crimes, eh?)
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Comment #27 posted by unkat27 on March 15, 2008 at 07:33:25 PT
Commonsense #21
You're not taking all the changes into account. What about the jobs that would open up? The extra money that could be taken out of the drug war and used for more practical purposes? The thousands of prison cells that would be opened up and reserved for real criminals, taking pressure off the PIG (Prison Industrial Giant), such that it could take a couple years off from its continual construction projects?What about the effort towards a major industry for alternative energy resources and all of the friends it could ally itself with; solar, electric, sea-water, air, etc... Think of the huge competitive effort to make the big oil barons into smaller, less influential corporate political masters.It's not just the money, it's the over-all effect. There are people who would support the hemp industry out of spite, just to snub the oil barons and get some satisfaction. How many poor Americans would love to work for the hemp industry, as long as they could also enjoy some relief with a bong at the end of the day without fear of losing their freedom for a change? I don't think you're looking at the big picture. People are sick of the fascist authoritarian prohibitionists that control their government and their lives. They need something big to work for that can give them the cause, effect, and the guns to stand up to the fascists and say "we won't take it anymore!"Forgive me, but I don't think a bunch of medical marijuana patients in wheelchairs is gonna do it.
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Comment #26 posted by ekim on March 14, 2008 at 20:00:26 PT
commonsense got a sec--
would you take a look at Petes site.and if P.P.is here what do you think. Friday, March 14, 2008 
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/Open Thread Bartonville, Illinois (just down the road from me) running "drug enforcement zones." It sounds Constitutionally questionable, but unfortunately, the press coverage is extremely vague, so I'm not quite sure exactly what they'll be doing. Clarence Page: A 'wire' war vs. the drug war 
 
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Comment #25 posted by Hope on March 14, 2008 at 15:34:52 PT
Remember the lowly soybean?
Hemp will be bigger than soybeans, someday, I expect. Time and persistence will get us there.
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on March 14, 2008 at 15:24:18 PT
Hemp
I would like to see more Hemp used in home construction. They can make light weight countertops from Hemp for an example. I'd like to see Hemp used for bedding for horses like the Queen of England uses. Hemp is a good and versatile plant. 
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Comment #23 posted by Hope on March 14, 2008 at 15:22:39 PT
Dang....
Now I'm hungry for something lovely from hemp seed, like Runruff was talking about the other day... only maybe a cruncy, cookie like thing.I bet it makes a person's hair shinier to consume the seed and oil. I've heard it does the same for pets.It will be a big or bigger industry some day, but alone, I can't see it saving the economy.Legalizing all cannabis might make a difference though, not to mention from sales tax, but from cutting the cost of prohibition enforcement and propaganda.
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Comment #22 posted by Hope on March 14, 2008 at 15:17:11 PT
Commonsense
I agree. You have so much commonsense, but I guess you knew that.The hemp industry definitely could be bigger than it is... especially hemp nutrition but it will be awhile. I don't think people are totally clamoring for hemp seed foods yet, although demand will rise as more people realize the nutrition value of hemp. Hemp nutrition and benefits haven't, up to this point, exactly gotten any major advertising... but I feel they will someday and I feel... I hope the birds and beasts of the field have the seeds and leaves again in abundance... someday. I'd really like to see reasonably priced hemp foods available in our little town, but lately, I haven't even seen much reasonably priced food of any kind. (The price of gas and food and everything virtually doubling in the last couple of years...I blame the war.)Now as far as clamoring goes, I'd be clamoring for hemp skin cremes. They're outstanding and as skin creams can go... they're still fairly reasonably priced. They are amazing wonderful good.
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Comment #21 posted by Commonsense on March 14, 2008 at 14:30:28 PT
unkat27 #12
There are plenty of people telling the US public that legal hemp could save the US economy. It's just not something most are inclined to belive though. Frankly, I don't believe it. Several countries have legal hemp industries and the pure fact of the matter is that these tend to be rather small enterprises really only serving niche markets, with the hemp being used for novelty foods, cosmetics and textiles. Even though it is legal in sevaral countries, hemp isn't a major part of the economy in any of these countries and it probably wouldn't be any different if it was legal here. No doubt there are all sorts of uses for hemp fibers and oil, but in most cases there is something better and/or considerably cheaper to use. For instance, people talk about hemp seed oil for biodiesel or hemp biomass for cellulosic ethanol. The fact is though that the per acre oil yields for hemp seed are even lower than the oil yields for soybeans, and soy oil yileds are so low that it takes something like ten acres of land to produce enough "soy diesel" for one average driver in a year. There are far more productive feedstocks. There are also more productive feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol. This is kind of like the situation with the humble peanut. George Washington Carver came up with something like a thousand uses for the peanut, but we never really saw the peanut being employed for most of these uses because there was something else that worked better or was a lot cheaper that we used instead. I think if hemp was really that darned much of a miracle product we'd see the hemp industyries in Canada, China, etc., just exploding and we see hemp being used in all sorts of products and a huge push to legalize the hemp industry in this country. I believe with all my heart farmers ought to be able to grow hemp here, and that marijuana should be legal for all purposes for that matter, but I'm not believing all the hype, and there's plenty of hype coming from all directions about marijuana/hemp. 
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Comment #20 posted by Hope on March 13, 2008 at 20:04:27 PT
The Rockefeller laws 
are "Cruel and Unusual".They've hurt a lot of people and they still are hurting a lot of people. They're cruel and unjust.
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on March 13, 2008 at 19:37:21 PT
Hope
He appears to be a humble man and New York isn't known for it's humility. He has a dry sense of humor and it seems real. We need change and he could do a good job for New York. I think the press even likes him. He has his work cut out for him.
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Comment #18 posted by Hope on March 13, 2008 at 19:25:17 PT
Gov. Paterson
I hope he does some good. Something good certainly needs to be done. 
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on March 13, 2008 at 18:45:17 PT

Hope
I really like the new Governor. He has made it to the top even though he is black and visually impaired. People who lose a sense get keener in their other senses to compensate. I liked how he shook the hands of people in film footage when he was campaigning. If there is a chance to reform the Rockefeller drug laws he will be the one to do it. He lives in Harlem! 
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Comment #16 posted by Hope on March 13, 2008 at 18:32:52 PT

Ekim
Here's something.http://www.observer.com/2008/governor-paterson-and-rockefeller-drug-laws
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Comment #15 posted by ekim on March 13, 2008 at 17:46:00 PT

hope-- ford had his cars running on ethanol
and Rudolph Diesel had his engine running on vegtable oil the history ch show did show that switchgrass was rated at 1,150 gal per acre while corn was around 365 gals [per acre] oil hit 111$ and gold at 1000$ todaydid anyone hear that the new gov in NY does not feel the Rockafeller drug laws are good for the people
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Comment #14 posted by afterburner on March 13, 2008 at 12:44:00 PT

Interesting Comparisons
Study Ranks States in Health Issues
By Julie Steenhuysen,Reuters.
Posted: 2008-03-13 11:23:21.
CHICAGO (March 6) - Vermont leads the United States in marijuana use, while Utah has the highest number of people reporting mental health problems, U.S. government researchers said on Thursday, based on a new state-by-state report.
http://news.aol.com/health/story/ar/_a/study-ranks-states-in-health-issues/20080307153909990001
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Comment #13 posted by unkat27 on March 13, 2008 at 12:30:35 PT

Could Legal Cannabis and Hemp Save U.S. Economy?
A little essay I wrote with a poll attached
Could Legal Cannabis and Hemp Save the U.S. Economy?
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Comment #12 posted by unkat27 on March 13, 2008 at 11:07:23 PT

Commonsense #7
IMO, when one considers how much of a difference legal hemp could have on the US economy, I think the story is being suppressed. It's a matter of degrees. I doubt very much that Exxon is dishing out much $$ to get the the story out in the MSM.Is anybody telling the US public that legal hemp could save the US economy? If so, they aren't shouting it loud enough.
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on March 13, 2008 at 10:12:21 PT

I'm not sure...
But I don't think they even mentioned hemp oil or hemp during the entire program. I found that a little disturbing. Not surprising... but disturbing.It doesn't seem right, especially in light of what you said, Runruff, about the hemp oil only requiring filtering to go from seed to engine.
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Comment #10 posted by runruff on March 13, 2008 at 09:57:58 PT:

Hope.
I spoke withan engineer back when I was making my video and he said hemp oil was ready fuel from seed to tank. No preparation was needed other than to filter it. A diesel engine will burn it without any processing at all. This is but one of the many desired aspects of hemp oil for fuel.Namaste
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on March 13, 2008 at 07:48:40 PT

Renewable Energy
My husband was watching that show last evening. I thought I heard them say things that I'd heard differently before. They said the diesel engine was created to run on ethanol. I'd always heard hemp oil and there was another time they mentioned something that I'd always heard about hemp, but they said it was ethanol or some other oil besides hemp.
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Comment #8 posted by ekim on March 12, 2008 at 16:27:08 PT

right now on History Ch Dir TV 269 Renewables
if it is the same show it will tell of the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden Co and how it is testing 
switchgrass for cellulose ethanol-- and getting 1,150 gals per acre.
now its talking about wind energy
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Comment #7 posted by Commonsense on March 12, 2008 at 09:41:06 PT

unkat27
Actually, Woolsey has worked as a paid lobbyist for many years now for a group pushing for legal industrial hemp. He's talked about it on national TV and in all sorts of other forums. The story is not being suppressed.
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on March 12, 2008 at 07:13:11 PT

good going GCW
here is a older story -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
http://www.thehia.org
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Comment #5 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on March 12, 2008 at 00:32:03 PT

To be grammatically correct.....
I probably should have asked -Why is the poppy seed bagel worth the risk to society, but bio-fuels, green textiles, healthy foods, and safe effective medicine aren't?
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Comment #4 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on March 12, 2008 at 00:27:01 PT

Why don't they ban all mushrooms?
It's hard to tell the difference between the nutritious and the psychedelic, and some can kill you, so why aren't we sending task forces into the woods and cow pastures to indiscriminately pull up all the wild mushrooms they can find?Why isn't the DEA raiding and shutting down mushroom farms, because of the possibility that some psilocybe might be grown in between the portobello?Why aren't we arresting the cows who are conspiring to manufacture psychedelic mushrooms? And why is the poppy seed bagel worth the risk to society, but bio-fuels, green textiles, healthy foods, and safe effective medicine isn't?
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on March 11, 2008 at 21:09:04 PT

Ekim,
The National Renewable Energy Lab is a government control...Government = Reefer Madness...-0-The National Renewable Energy Lab's website ( http://www.nrel.gov/ ) has a search and I typed in HEMP and only found 1 thing. 
CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODIESEL
OXIDATION AND OXIDATION PRODUCTS
CRC Project No. AVFL-2bhttp://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/npbf/pdfs/39096.pdf
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on March 11, 2008 at 18:46:17 PT

 National Renewable Energy Lab AWOL
the farm bill is giving money for energy crops --\who is testing hemp at 77% cellulose -- come on NREL in Golden Co how much cellulose is in switchgrass that you tested and got 1,150 gals of ethanol made from one acre.where are the new plastic makers --
that are seeing the auto industry using hemp everywhere execpt here in the good ol USAwhere are the weavers that know hemp is able to compete with cotton given a fair chance.the cannabis plant needs to have a convention telling its side of the story.how the early laws were used to pit one man against another,
the people never hear much about that -- the convention must also tell of the wonders of the cannabis plant and show med studies from all over the world.the great people of Denver have been a shining beconto the rest of us -on how a few can ask the voters and see how the people responded -- way to go Denver please have a convention and get Mr. Woolsey and all those that wish to come and speak to tell the rest of the story.
http://www.leap.cc/
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Comment #1 posted by unkat27 on March 11, 2008 at 14:53:20 PT

Former CIA Director?
Dang, one would think that a former CIA director coming out in favor of legal hemp would be front-page news everywhere. But of course, chances are, this story is being suppressed and buried in the back-pages, thanks to our oil-profiteering corporate-sponsored MSM overlords.
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