INDUSTRIAL HEMP SHOULD BE OK

Question 1: Why would the United States stand by and let other nations take
over a market for an agricultural product in demand?

Question 2: Why should farmers and related industry in the Pacific
Northwest sit by and miss an opportunity for a cash crop that makes a good
rotation crop as well?

The answer: A paranoia about marijuana that prevents drug enforcers, who
obviously know little about agriculture, from distinguishing between
industrial hemp and its cousin that produces an illegal drug.

The solution: Let's get over the paranoia, focus on the many benefits of
hemp and join the world before it's too late.

It's readily apparent that, despite the paranoia, hemp is catching on as a
prolific producer of versatile and tough fiber. Thirty-two countries grow
it and the United State imports many of its finished products.

A growing number of states have authorized farm production of hemp or at
least experimentation to test it against the concerns of law enforcement.
The United States ought not be left out, especially when it could easily
become an exporter as world markets are developed.

Neither should Oregon, Washington, Idaho or California. Their farmers
should be cleared to add a profitable crop. Idaho has legislation pending
that would legalize at least the testing of industrial hemp.

Legislatures of the other states in this region would do well to take up
the issue with a goal of getting industrial hemp into production.

At this point, enforcement agencies are clinging to an absolute rule that
marijuana and hemp are one and the same. This, despite the fact that the
intoxicant in the marijuana cousin is found only in trace amounts in hemp.

States already into research have found precious little cause for confusion
between the two plants. Indeed, one researcher identified a compound in
hemp that inhibits the intoxicant in marijuana.

Cross-fertilization, he added, would reduce the buzz of marijuana rather
than intoxicate hemp.

But the real lack of enforcers' understanding of farming is shown by their
fear that hemp would provide a cover for growth of marijuana. Hemp is
produced for its strong fiber and therefore is tall and tightly grouped.
Its harvest comes early.

Marijuana is sought for flowers and leaves. Therefore, it is short and
bushy and is harvested late.

Hemp, a cover for marijuana? Anyone who tried it would probably find he had
perfectly exposed his illicit crop.

There are so many uses that a strong market here and abroad just waits for
science to triumph over paranoia.

Hemp's strong fibers are especially prized for rope, but also for shoes,
clothing, other rugged fabric, even paper. It produces twice as much fiber
per acre as the average forest. Its resins are used for plastics, its oils
for medicines.

Farmers, it is estimated, would stand to take in more than $300 an acre
from growing hemp, and would not have to multiply the cost of production
with expensive pesticides or fertilizer.

Evidence suggests that hemp was banned in the '30s because of its
competitive strength against other sources of fiber, such as wood.

The ban was lifted for World War II, then reinstated.

Let's free our farmers to get into production of industrial hemp that is
easily distinguished from its intoxicating cousin.