N.D. FARMERS ARE BEING USED

North Dakota's congressional contingent wisely declined to lobby for
hemp, no doubt realizing that North Dakota farmers are being used as a
front to legalize the ultimate "cover crop," hemp.

To paraphrase Canadian hemp researcher David Marcus: "In order to overcome
government reluctance to legalize industrial hemp, it is necessary to
present the image of conservative, 'solid citizen' support." What group is
perceived as more "solid" than America's farmers, especially North Dakota
farmers?

Cover is needed because, according to the U.S. Congressional Research
Service, the legalize marijuana (hemp) movement "has largely been
spurred by .. Jack Herer (marijuana advocate), whose 1985 book, "The
Emperor Wears No Clothes," has been instrumental in reviving interest
in hemp and has helped create the grass-roots movement for marijuana
reform," that is, legalization.

The 1985 launched legalization movement predated farmer involvement,
according to key hemp legalization strategist, Chris Conrad. By 1994,
as part of the pro-drug strategy to legalize hemp, farmers had been
drawn into the hemp movement. Conrad is quoted in High Times as saying
that he and his (marijuana legalization activist) network "linked
voters, ecologists, farmers, businesses, doctors and average citizens
into an alliance that knows hemp is here for good ... pot smokers need
to come out of the closet to win their equal rights."

This inclusion of "average citizens, groups and organizations" lines
up with Marcus' statement that "... Strong support from business and
farm groups is indispensable; support from pro-marijuana interests and
what are perceived of as fringe groups is generally
counterproductive."

The statements of French hemp expert and research scientist Hayo M. G.
van der Werf are being ignored in the push to "sell" hemp as a crop to
farmers. Van der Werf said: "(M)any claims (about hemp) are made ...
many of these claims are inaccurate; some of the overestimation of
hemp's benefits may be due to the emotional commitment many
individuals have in making this a viable crop."

Neither the case that hemp production provides solid economic
benefits, nor that hemp cultivation will not detrimentally affect the
enforcement of marijuana legislation has been made.

Would-be hemp farmers are being used.

Jeanette McDougal

Osceola, Ark.

(McDougal is chair of the hemp committee of Drug Watch International
and notes her past positions in the Minnesota Farm Bureau. - Editor)