MARIJUANA LEAFLETS MAY TOTAL FIVE, 7, 11, 13...

Re: "'Pot' plants are actually deer food, landowner says," Sept. 10:

While I regret the drug warrior victimization of Marion Waltman's property,
he did make a few mistakes that demand correction.

The marijuana plant's leaves may reach up to 17 fingers per leaflet, not
merely five, as reported in your article. Eleven to 13 fingers per leaf are
quite common on mature cannabis plants.

And, hemp is certainly illicit to cultivate or possess in the United
States. It is not a member of the hibiscus family. All cannabis plants come
under the genus Cannabis Sativa L.. Just as the mustard plant gave birth to
six different popular vegetables through selective breeding, so has
Cannabis Sativa L. been selectively bred. Selective breeding does not make
a new species.

Hemp refers to cannabis that has been bred for low THC
(Tetrahydrocannabinol) content and for its fiber properties, generally a
cannabis plant that will grow long and tall with little to no side
branching. Hemp usually makes for very poor recreational smoking material.
At best, it would compete with the lowest end of the recreational market,
and that would be the matured flowered tops; the leaves would be worthless.
The highest THC measure I have seen for matured flower tops from old World
War II "Hemp for Victory" stands that still grow wild is about 2.1 THC
content in Illinois.

MATTHEW HULETT

Brick, N.J.