No Decision Yet Made On Hemp-Growing Trials

Health Minister Annette King is being briefed today on whether to give
the go-ahead to hemp-growing trials.

A year-old working party to investigate hemp licensing has reportedly
issued an implementation timeline to the Hemp Industries Association.
The suggested timeline would see licences issued by June.

However, government officials questioned this morning denied reports
that decisions had already been made.

Mrs King is responsible for the decision and a spokesman said it was
uncertain when a decision would be made or announced.

Officials from the departments of agriculture, customs, health and
police are all involved in the process.

Former Customs Minister Phillida Bunkle approved the working party
process due to customs' role in monitoring the importation of hemp
seeds.

The Agriculture Department would be responsible for monitoring the
trials, while health and police officials focused on the potential
misuse of hemp.

Hemp can be converted into a fibre used for paper, cloth and boards
and seeds can also be made into oil for flour with a wide variety of
uses.

Hemp also contains small amounts of the same drug that gives cannabis
smokers a high.

Those interested in growing hemp have been frustrated by the refusal
of the National government to approve trials, and by delays by the
current government.

The Health Ministry originally approved growing trials in
1997.

Industrial hemp trials started in Australia in 1991 and growers there
are now pushing for law changes to allow more widespread crops to be
planted.