I applaud you for pinpointing the implications of White House drug
czar Barry McCaffrey's March 5 letter to U.S. Customs and the Drug
Enforcement Administration relating to industrial hemp regulation in
the article titled "Shampoo High" [Washington Whispers, March 27].

As primary sponsor of the legislation that established the Hawaii
Industrial Hemp Research Project (HIHRP), I can tell you that the
"trade war" is underway. The Customs Service is not happy about
McCaffrey's directive to seize and test hemp products.

McCaffrey's war on non-hallucinogenic industrial hemp is of great
concern to Hawaii, since our HIHRP is developing a seed variety
appropriate for growth within U.S. latitudes. Major Hawaiian
agricultural corporations want to add hemp as an intercycle crop, and
some expect it to replace sugar as one of our state's central crops.

I believe a trade war is avoidable and would like to see a more
in-depth article about the industrial hemp market, states' action to
allow farmers to grow, and the consequences of Barry McCaffrey's
misguided opposition to this non hallucinogenic crop.

Cynthia Thielen,
Assistant Minority Floor Leader,
49th District,
Honolulu, Hawaii