HEMP A VERSATILE COMMODITY

I read with pleasure your editorial, "Logic prevails in hemp
legislation," on Tuesday. Add to all the benefits you listed,
industrial hemp is a weed, eradicated all over the U.S. by the FDA,
called "ditchweed." When growing it as a crop no pesticides are needed
and very little water, so it can be grown in marginal areas. Besides
all the products that can be made from hemp, you neglected to say
diesel grade oil and hemp's most historical product, paper, a better
grade than can be produced using wood fiber. Also, hemp seed protein
is the most complete plant protein available, with 21 known amino
acids. Hemp could lead the way for California's farmers to become
world leaders in a new sustainable economy.

Glynda-Lee Hoffmann

Chico