HOUSE REVERSES ITSELF ON LEGALIZING HEMP-GROWING

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) New Hampshire's House of Representatives has
reversed itself and killed a bill that would have let the state's
farmers grow hemp, a close relative of marijuana valued for its seed
oil and strong fibers.

The House gave the legislation tentative approval in January, but
following heavy lobbying by law enforcement officials and a request by
Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, it decided by 40 votes Thursday to send it to
what most likely will be a polite death.

Police officers have said hemp and marijuana are so similar that
allowing hemp would make it tough to enforce marijuana laws. The state
attorney general circulated a letter asking lawmakers to reject the
bill.

"The enforcement difficulty is really going to be horrendous if you
can't tell one from the other," Rep. David Welch, R-Kingston, warned
the House. Welch chairs the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

The bill would allow the state's farmers to apply for federal permits
to grow hemp. It defined hemp as a variation of the cannabis sativa
plant containing less than 1 percent of the psychoactive chemical THC.
Marijuana, another variation of cannabis sativa, usually contains 15
percent to 20 percent THC.

Hemp fibers are used in rope, clothing and building materials, among
other things. Oil from its seeds can be used in skin lotions and other
novelty products. It is more profitable than traditional plants grown
in the state, and the state's agriculture commissioner has said
planting it would help farmers hurt by a dwindling demand for hay.

Supporters said Thursday observers can tell the difference between
hemp and marijuana and there is no proof legalizing hemp would
complicate enforcement.

"This is not marijuana," said Rep. Derek Owen, D-Hopkinton. "I don't
know how you can tell it's terrible if we haven't even planted it yet."

Owen is a farmer who has gone to federal court to seek the right to
grow hemp. The courts dismissed his case, saying hemp is illegal to
cultivate without a federal permit.

The federal government does not give permits to farmers in states that
ban hemp-growing. Growing hemp is legal in Canada, Hawaii, North
Dakota and Minnesota, and several other states are considering hemp
legislation.

Owen lost a court appeal last month. Claremont Democrat Amy
Robb-Theroux, a supporter of the bill, said lawmakers may have
misinterpreted the decision as a reason not to pass the bill.

"The recent court decision out of Boston really placed a cloud over
the bill," Robb-Theroux said. "There really wasn't time to educate the
400 members of the House about it. And with the concerns of law
enforcement and the very strong lobby efforts of law enforcement,
people just didn't know what to do today."

Although technically lawmakers are studying the bill, there is little
chance of it returning to the House floor this year.

But Robb-Theroux said she is optimistic additional discussion will
clear up misconceptions about hemp.

"It's very frustrating," said Mark Lathrop, a Chesterfield farmer
interested in growing it. "But we're finally going to be able to hold
all this information to the light of day."