HEMP LAWS ONLY A SMOKE SCREEN

Regarding Doyle Purcell's Aug. 31 letter, "Hey dude! Do you wanna
help me smoke my car?" it should be noted that not all cannabis is
intoxicating.

The Australian developers who are attempting to develop
cannabis-based automobile materials are using industrial hemp, which
only has trace levels of THC.

Industrial hemp simply cannot be used for purposes of intoxication.

Mr. Purcell also should know that hemp currently is used for the
production of some car parts.

Some Chrysler models include parts made with a Johnson Controls
polymer that is 25 percent hemp.

All Mercedes models use fire-retardant blankets under the dash and
inside the doors that are made from hemp.

The continued ban on industrial hemp cultivation in the United States
only serves to highlight how ill-conceived our drug laws are in
general.

Paul Miller
Woodbridge, Va.