HEMP FOOD FANS TAKE ACTION AGAINST DEA RULING

In the past ten years, foods made from hemp seed and oil have gradually
made their way into the United States food market, increasing from a
one-million dollar industry in 1990 to a five-million dollar industry today.

Thirty years ago soy food products were at the same point that hemp
products are today, and have since grown into a multi-billion dollar
industry. Hemp food enthusiasts would like to see similar growth for hemp
products. However their efforts may go in vain.

On October 9, 2001 the federal Drug Enforcement Agency issued a statement
that it will enforce a ban all food products made with hemp seed or oil.
The rule is expected to take effect in February 2002.

The rule is interpretive of an already established law, the Controlled
Substances Act passed in 1970, which prohibits the use of
tetrahyrocanibinol (THC) in any food product. THC, the mind-altering
substance that is found in marijuana, is in hemp plants in a minuscule amount.

"The amount of THC in hemp seeds is comparable to the amount of opiates in
poppy seeds or the trace alcohol found in orange juice," said Adam
Horowitz, an advocate of hemp foods and president of the University of
Rhode Island Hemp Organization for Prohibition Elimination (HOPE).

Horowitz said that the DEA is concerned that the hemp foods could lead to
false findings in drug tests. "The amount of THC in the seeds is so
negligible that it is impossible to become intoxicated," said Horowitz. "It
does not have any psychoactive effect on the human body."

It is illegal to grow hemp in the United States, and therefore, all food
products are made from imported hemp. Hemp food producers have developed a
range of products such as granola bars, waffles, energy bars, pretzels,
beer, and ice cream.

"The hemp seed has really wonderful nutritional benefits," Horowitz said.
"It has a really high protein content. As far as non-meat products, it is
second only to soy for protein content."

In addition, Horowitz pointed out that hemp products contain Vitamin E and
two essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6.

VoteHemp.com, hemp food manufacturers, and other organizations have taken
legal action against the ban. HOPE and other organizations nationwide did
their part on Tuesday, when fans of hemp food products in seventy cities
across the nation participated in the "DEA Taste Test."

HOPE set up tasting tables near the DEA office in Warwick, R.I, offering
free hemp food to anyone who was interested and asking people to sign a
petition against the ban. According to Horowitz, the DEA employees were not
particularly receptive, but the group did have success with passersby.

Horowitz encourages interested people to check out the issue at
www.VoteHemp.com and to consider supporting the issue with a public
response letter to the DEA. The DEA will be accepting the letters about the
ban until Monday, Dec. 10.

"They will review the response letters and I hope that they will take
notice of the response. I hope that the National DEA Taste Test has
emphasized that a lot of people are interested," Horowitz said. "We're
hoping that the ban won't take effect, if they [DEA officials] notice what
people think.