PROPOSAL ON HEMP FAILS TO PASS STATE CONVENTION

RALEIGH - A proposal from some Buncombe County Democrats to make exploring
the use of industrial hemp part of the state Democratic Party's platform
went up in smoke in a weekend meeting, where the state party also failed to
adopt a new platform.

Some Buncombe Democrats wanted to amend the state Democratic Party
platform to show support for cultivating industrial hemp plants as a
legitimate tobacco product in North Carolina. Hemp fibers can be used
to make rope, clothing, paper and cooking oil. But it is illegal to
grow in the state because its dried leaves and flowers can be used in
making marijuana.

"Essentially the amendment was based on a concern for farmers who are
struggling right now," said Krishna Murphy, 50, of Candler. Murphy is
a Democratic candidate for chairman of the Buncombe County Board of
Commissioners.

When organizers called for a voice vote, they couldn't tell whether
the amendment passed. They asked participants to vote by show of
hands, and the hemp amendment failed 2-to- 1, said Scott Falmen, the
party's executive director.

Organizers then discovered there wasn't a quorum of Democrats present.
There must be representation from at least 51 of North Carolina's 100
counties for a quorum to conduct official business.

About 750 people attended the convention, but 51 counties weren't
represented.

Without a quorum, the Democrats couldn't adopt a party platform,
essentially a public policy position statement.

That loss was more important than discussing the hemp amendment, said
Ellie Richard, 44, of Asheville.

Richard said she was particularly interested in sending a strong
message, through the platform, of opposition to the war in Iraq and in
support of universal health care.

"The Democratic Party used to be the place you could actually debate,
have dialogue and it's not happening that way anymore," Richard said.
"I think the state's approach to a platform is limited. A platform is
supposed to be the ideal you're striving for."

The party's executive committee may adopt a resolution outlining
public policy positions. But a resolution doesn't carry the same
weight as a platform.

The state Democratic Party won't be able to officially define its
positions in a platform until 2006, when it holds its next convention.
Until then, the party's 2002 platform still stands.

"It's definitely something we want to take care of," said Ricardo
Velasquez, president of the Hispanic Democrats of North Carolina.