Industrial Hemp Bill Introduced in California

From NORML.ORG:

Industrial Hemp Bill Introduced in California!

Dear NORML Supporter:

NORML is pleased to announce that Assembly Bill 684, an act to enact
statewide regulations on the cultivation of industrial hemp as an
agricultural commodity, has been introduced in the state legislature.
If approved, this measure will to allow state-licensed farmers to
cultivate hemp as an economic product. (Read the full text of the
bill here:
<http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0651-0700/ab_684_bill_20070221_introduced.html>http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0651-0700/ab_684_bill_20070221_introduced.html.)

According to a 2005 Congressional Resource Service (CRS) report, the
United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate
industrial hemp as an economic crop. Hemp is a distinct variety of
the plant species cannabis sativa that contains only minute (less
than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary
psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Farmers worldwide grow hemp
commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of
industrial and consumer products, including food and clothing.

Last year, a version of this bill passed through the California
legislature only to be vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Do not let
AB 684 meet the same fate! Please take two minutes of your time to
write your Representative and tell him or her how important it is
that they support industrial hemp. For your convenience, a
pre-written letter is available
<http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=9417551>online.

Sincerely,
Erin Dame
NORML Outreach Coordinator
<mailto:Erin [at] norml.org>Erin [at] norml.org

New Effort To Allow Hemp Farming In CA

By Carolyn Tyler

Source: ABC7

Calif. -- Two California lawmakers have launched a new campaign to legalize
hemp. It's a challenge to federal drug laws from two men on opposite sides
of the political spectrum. But they have a common goal -- to help the
state's struggling farmers.

Charles Meyer is a third generation California farmer. His land is in the
Central Valley town of Stratford, where he grows the highest quality cotton
and wheat. He would like to cultivate another crop.

Charles Meyer, California farmer: "I looked for the crop that had
versatility. Hemp is one of the most versatile we can grow."

Hemp comes from the same plant as marijuana. Both are cannabis sativa, but
hemp has only trace amounts of THC, the stuff that gets you high.

Assemblyman Mark Leno, (D) San Francisco: "A good analogy would be
industrial hemp has about as much THC content as the poppy seeds that your
bagel has opium."

State Assemblyman Mark Leno wants to let Charles Meyer and other California
farmers try their hand at hemp. It's already legal in at least 30 countries,
including China, Canada and most of Europe. Right now it's illegal for
Americans to grow the crop, but they can import the seeds, oil, and fiber.
Which can be turned into food rich in omega 3, clothing, even things as
strong as car parts.

Hundreds of hemp products are made in California. At Dr. Bronners Magic
Soaps in Escondido near San Diego. Like other manufacturers in the state,
they get their hemp from Canada."

David Bronner, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps: "Of course most people hear hemp
and there's the giggle factor, so we have to break through that and say no,
hemp is renewable, it's a great crop."

Hemp is grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. David Bronner
began adding the oil to his soaps in 1999. It makes the lather smoother.
They are now the number one brand of natural soaps nationwide.

David Bronner: "We're everywhere now -- just crossing over, as is the whole
health food movement, it's becoming main stream."

Bronner spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year importing
industrial hemp.

Mark Leno, S.F. Democrat: "What wisdom is there in a public policy that
forces manufacturers in the U.S. to send their dollars abroad?"

Mark Leno, a San Francisco liberal Democrat, he's teamed up with Chuck
Devore, an Orange County conservative Republican. Devore was once the
youngest appointee in the Reagan White House. He and Leno are a political
odd couple who agree on one thing.

Assemblyman Chuck Devore, (R) Irvine: "It's absolutely criminal that
American farmers, the most productive and efficient farmers on the planet,
cannot be allowed to grow a naturally occurring plant, that grows wild in
America."

Last year Devore and Leno co-authored a bill to legalize hemp farming. It
passed both houses of the legislature, but Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed
it. The measure will be re-introduced this year. Once again it limits the
concentration of THC allowed in the plants.

Mark Leno, S.F. Democrat: "It will be the farmer's responsibility to get it
tested, and get a certificate that shows their field is no more than
three-tenths of one percent the content."

Much of the opposition comes from the law enforcement community. Javier Pena
is special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Javier Pena, Drug Enforcement Administration: "It doesn't matter it could be
half of a half of a half percent. If it's THC, it's illegal under federal
statutes."

And the California Narcotic Law Officers Association is also opposed. A
spokesman showed us pictures of hemp grown for seed and marijuana that look
similar.

John Lovell, CA Narcotic Officers Association: "The problem becomes those
people who are illicitly growing marijuana and who will use hemp as a blind,
if you will. to conceal their marijuana activities."

But hemp proponents say planting the crops together decreases the THC, so an
illegal marijuana grower would avoid cross-pollination. That argument
doesn't convince Lovell. And he says there are none of the safeguards in the
California bill like those in place in other countries.

John Lovell, CA Narcotic Officers Association: "For example in Canada, the
law requires anyone who wants to cultivate industrial hemp must receive a
license from the government, they have to renew it every year, and get a
criminal background check."

The government once wanted the crop. A video from the USDA shows the
so-called 'Hemp for Victory' campaign that encouraged American farmers to
grow the plant for rope during World War II. Now it's other countries
cultivating hemp, and consumers here at home have turned the market into a
multi-million dollar a year industry.

David Bronner: "The cross section is not just myself, your average hemp
consumer is a suburban mom driving around, and they are just looking for
healthy foods and products."

California lawmakers are now challenging federal law, so farmers can cash
in.

Leno's bill will be formally introduced on Wednesday. A similar measure on
the federal level was introduced last week.

--
----
Dale Gieringer / California NORML (415) 563-5858 // canorml [at] igc.org
2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114
-------------------------------------------------