A resolution in support of the legalization of production of industrial hemp failed in the House Agricultural Affairs Committee Wednesday, despite claims from the bill’s sponsors that hemp production could lead to an increase in jobs and tax revenue in the state.
The bill’s primary sponsor and chairman of the committee, Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, said the memorial would support the legalization of hemp, a multi-million dollar industry that supplies materials used in thousands of food and fashion products. Trail added that growing hemp would not impact drug trade because of the its low levels of THC, the natural chemical that produces a high associated with cannabis. Modern hemp plants contain less than 0.3 percent of the chemical, while cannabis, which is used to make the illegal drug marijuana, contains rates much higher than that of hemp.
On the amount of THC in hemp, Trail said “to get a high from industrial hemp you’d have to build a cigar the size of a telephone pole.”
Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, objected to the proposal, saying that the legalization could add an unneeded burden on law enforcement officers. Lake expressed concern that officers could struggle in differentiating between legal hemp fields and illegal marijuana operations.
Trail responded that during his research on the issue, he had met with law enforcement officials from Canada, where hemp is legal, and they informed him that no marijuana growers are “stupid enough” to plant cannabis near hemp fields due to cross-pollination. According to the Canadian officials, planting the two products near each other results in the THC content of cannabis being lowered, thereby reducing the high that can obtained from it. Trail added that Canadian officials encourage hemp production near urban areas to help combat illegal cannabis operations in cities.
One of the resolution’s co-sponsors, Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, told lawmakers that Idaho is missing out in job opportunities and tax revenue as a result of the federal ban on hemp production. Cronin argued that hemp legalization proponents have done a terrible job of educating the general public and lawmakers on the realities of hemp, which has led to a “fundamental misunderstanding of what hemp is.”
“Hemp is as American as apple pie,” said Cronin. ”Both (George) Washington and (Thomas) Jefferson grew hemp and the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.”
The other co-sponsor for the plan, Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, echoed Cronin’s sentiments, saying that America is missing out on the jobs that could come from the industry.
“We spend hundreds of millions buying it from Canada,” Anderson said. “There is not a day that goes by that we don’t use hemp products.”
Following testimony, Lake proposed the committee kill the resolution, but the committee failed to do so on a 5-5 tie vote. Rep. Donna Pence, D-Gooding, asked the panel to introduce the plan and send it to the full House for further consideration. Pence’s request also failed on a 5-5 tie vote.
To do more research on the hemp issue, you can visit www.votehemp.com for more information.
Once again congress does nothing for the average American and sides with corpoate fascists. I have heard it said, hemp and marijuana are the same plants as Danny Devito and Dennis Rodman are the same people. Rep. Lake’s claim that, it would burden law enforcement, is an asinine claim only made be the underinformed or just plain stupid. Why is Congress worried about the drug’s effects when the worst drugs today are LEGAL! Antidepressants, Oxycontin, Valium are far worse, killing far more people. Marijuana, in its almost 10,000 years of use has never killed a single person. Who is Congress protecting? Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Neonazi Fascists that have gotten our contry in the shape it is in today, THAT’S WHO!
“A nation is not a true Democracy until all people are able to participate”. Jack Herrer. Until this nation ends the unwinable “war on drugs”, we will continue fall! It has overburdened or tax base and continues to lock up non-violent drug useres to release violent offenders. JUST SAY KNOW!
Politicians that block legislation to promote domestic hemp production are hurting our nations economy and denying new jobs.
Seems to me ,we should hold these people liable for their ignorance. Lets make them clean up all the none biodegradeble bits of plastic floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Dump. Making biodegradeble plastic from hemp can stop this problem.
I heartily agree with all 3 posts before this.
Are we going to have a green economy or not? Will we endeavor to grow our way out of dependence on fossil fuels or not? Will we wake up from the nightmare of Prohibition and all its evils any time soon or not?
I remember something about the definition of insanity…something about trying the same approach again and again and expecting different results?
You have GOT to be f-ing kidding me!!! What the hell is wrong with our government??? You know, people, we NO LONGER have a government “by the people, for the people.” We have a “government” that is derailing our human rights and ruining our country by putting the Almighty Dollar up on a pedestal far, far above the people they are sworn to protect. They lie. They cheat. And they steal to and from us. The war on drugs is a lie and it will never end unless we stand up and demand it. These cretins are the ones ruining our country and here we go, letting it happen, all complacent in our Lazy-Boy chairs watching Fox News.
This country is **** unless the people take the power back, and by God we had better do it soon!
Trail added that Canadian officials encourage hemp production near urban areas to help combat illegal cannabis operations in cities
Hemp could so help turn things around for the better…..did this committee talk to any farmers? Or did they listen to another shade of green?
Are we so blind as to see that the DEA is waging war on us. If it is a war they want lets give it to just how they like it until they wish to fight against the american people no more. If they have stolen/siezed the property from our fellow americans let us BURN IT SO IT CANNOT BE USED AGAINST US.
Green Panther: I know the Drug War has been long and difficult, believe me! But we have 14 states plus D.C. who have budged on med mj and we’ll have more soon enough if we keep the pressure up. There will be a tipping point where the people’s will will prevail. I wouldn’t be too hasty to use sabotage at this point. Some courts recently have even returned med mj that cops have seized to the rightful owners. But if prohibition does somehow continue, it will be due to some very undemocratic forces and interests and I think there will be many who will join you.