A GRASS-ROOTS EFFORT TO LEGALIZE HEMP

Al Espino sees a day when marijuana plants will cover the rolling hills of
Santa Barbara County.

But don't hit the panic button and call the police just yet, because
Espino's daydream involves the plant people wear, not the stuff that goes up
in smoke.

Espino, owner of Hempwise, an Isla Vista clothing store that specializes in
products made from the nontoxic form of cannabis sativa, is a man on a
mission, spreading the word about hemp's good qualities and advocating its
legalization for agriculture use.

Though hemp is legally grown throughout the world, it can't be cultivated in
the United States. The weed was outlawed in the late 1930s. Today, hemp is
classified as a "schedule I controlled substance."

The government of Canada allowed farmers to begin growing thousands of acres
of hemp about a year ago. Canadian farmers ship the raw fiber to the United
States where it is fashioned into a wide range of products.

Espino's little shop on Trigo Road offers everything from shirts to
skateboards, and tennis shoes to backpacks. Again, everything is made from hemp.

"Anything we make from trees can be made with hemp," Espino said as he led
visitors around his store. "But hemp is cheaper and better."

Those interested in learning more about the weed's history and many uses can
attend a hemp bash today in Anisq' Oyo' Park in the heart of Isla Vista. The
party goes from 2 to 9 p.m.

"It's going to be a nice day in the park," said Espino, who is a walking
encyclopedia of hemp lore. "There's gonna be a pot luck meal. There will be
speakers and bands."

The local festival coincides with similar gatherings in other states as
advocates begin a push to separate the image of hemp from its narcotic
cousin, marijuana.

Although some might confuse the two plants, Espino and those well-versed on
the issue know that hemp can't get you high. The benign plant contains only
a fraction of tetrahydrocannabinol -- the ingredient that gets people high,
commonly called THC.

"People come in and ask if they can smoke hats made of hemp," Espino said.
"You'd have to smoke between five to 10 plants to get a headache."

Hemp did not always have a bad reputation. In fact, it may be the oldest
crop known to man, according to Espino, as well as various pro-hemp Web
sites and several books on the subject.

The Chinese invented fish nets with hemp in 4500 BC. Hemp was the top crop
in Asia, Europe and the Americas from 1500 to 1800. Sails were made from
hemp, so were books, maps and lamp oil. Cannabis was once the most popular
plant in colonial America. Thomas Jefferson risked life and limb to smuggle
hemp seeds out of China. George Washington cultivated the crop. A draft of
the Declaration of Independence was written on paper made from hemp,
according to various sources.

Impressive stuff, yet there are those within the United States government
who fear the product.

According to a report in The New York Times, the White House's Office of
National Drug Control Policy has opposed legalizing hemp because it believes
such a move would send the wrong message about drugs to American youth.

Officials with the Drug Enforcement Agency have raised worries as well,
saying farmers might take advantage of any change in the law and grow
illegal marijuana amid their hemp fields.

Hemp advocates scoff at such notions, pointing out that hemp does not look
like marijuana and can be easily detected from the air by law enforcement
surveillance planes or helicopters.

Despite the DEA alert, hemp is gaining political might. Farmers in North
Dakota have pushed for cultivation rights. Similar efforts have taken place
in the state houses of Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana, Vermont and Virginia.

Just last month, the California Democratic Party endorsed the use of
industrial hemp following a vote at its annual state convention in
Sacramento. While that may sound impressive, a spokesman for the party said
the hemp measure was one of many items nonchalantly approved at the
convention's conclusion.

"We passed several dozen resolutions and I am not even sure most delegates
could remember all the resolutions," said Bob Mulholland, a campaign adviser
to the Democratic Party of California. "The American Farm Bureau Federation
feels strong about it (hemp), but I am not sure the delegates paid much
attention."

The Farm Bureau has 4.5 million members and is well aware that hemp sales
have grown over the past several years. According to a report in the
Washington Post, worldwide sales have gone from $5 million in 1993 to $75
million in 1995.

The future of hemp seems green indeed, which is why advocates like Espino
consider the crop a glorious plant wrongly punished.

"People have talked about this issue for 10 years," Espino said. "It has
taken a long time to get into the mainstream because people are afraid to
talk about cannabis. People used to joke about it all the time, but finally
we are getting serious about the plant."

William Stern, a professor of botany with the University of Florida in
Gainesville, confirmed hemp's helpful qualities. He said early American
settlers made homespun cloth from the plant, which is much stronger than cotton.

"Hemp has been cultivated for a long time," Stern said.

While advocates do their part to put a happy face on hemp, it is hard to
discuss the product without linking it to Cheech and Chong movies or Deadheads.

People are afraid to mention smoking, but I have found that most people who
want to legalize hemp are also open to the idea of pot smoking, Espino said.

While the vast majority of products sold at Hempwise are garments, Espino's
store does pay small homage to pot. There are humorous bumper stickers in
the shop that show President Clinton toking a joint. There are also other
far-out odds and ends one might expect to find in a store near the UCSB campus.

For now, the hemp beat goes on. It is summarized perfectly in a clever
bumper sticker that states: "God made grass. Man made booze. Who do you trust?"

F.Y.I.

What: Hemp Expo in the Park
Where: Anisq' Oyo' Park in Isla Vista
When: 2 to 9 p.m.

Fun facts about hemp, according to the Hemp Industries Association of
Occidental, Calif., Website at http.//thehia.org

Hemp is among the oldest crops, dating back 10,000 years.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp.

Hemp seeds are more nutritious than soybeans.

Hemp grows well without the need for herbicides.

Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber.

China is the largest exporter of hemp paper and textiles.

Romania is the largest commercial producer of hemp in Europe.