INDUSTRIAL HEMP IS INDEED A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

Dear Editor,

Make no mistake about it, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the drug found in
the cannabis savita (hemp) plant. According to Illinois law, cannabis
sativa -- the plant that Senate Bill 1397 calls for two Illinois
universities to study -- is a controlled substance.

Those of us who fight against the proliferation of illegal drug use in our
communities and watch the advancements of he drug culture know that there
is a well-organized effort to legalize marijuana in our country.

We were suprised to read the "Our Opinion" editorial on Jan. 12, which was
titled "Industrial hemp is not a drug." A convicted and then reformed drug
trafficker wrote to us to say that he sold hemp/ditch-weed along with the
higher level marijuana and had no trouble getting repeat customers.

The Illinois Drug Education Alliance researched this bill and the issue and
we agree with you when you said that "hemp will not be the salvation of
Illinois' struggling agricultural economy."

In fact, European hemp farmers are highly subsidized and some Canadian hemp
farmers went bankrupt. We think the General Assembly can do better for our
farmers than studying a controlled substance that both opponents and
proponents agree will not save the farmer. We urge Gov. George Ryan to
veto Senate Bill 1397.

Priss Parmenter, IDEA president