HEMP PLAN CLEARS HURDLE

GLENWOOD SPRINGS - A man promoting industrial hemp as a legal cash crop in
Colorado has cleared one hurdle in his quest.

Legislative staffers have approved the language and title of the proposal
by Roy Hecker of Glenwood Springs. That means he can start circulating
petitions to try to get the initiative on the November 2000 ballot.

Hemp, a cousin of marijuana, is prized for its high fiber content. It is
used to produce paper, rope and clothing. Hemp seeds have many industrial
and medicinal uses, proponents say.

Backers of legalizing hemp growing say it would be a boost for Colorado
farmers.

The cultivation of hemp is allowed in several countries and once was legal
in the United States. The problem is THC, or tetrahydrocannabionol, the
active chemical in marijuana. The chemical's content is low in hemp and is
stripped from it when used for commercial uses.