California
Democrats
Give
Nod
to
Industrial
Hemp
4/2/99
5. California Democrats Give Nod to Industrial Hemp Marc Brandl, [email protected]Industrial hemp advocates in California were elated to learn that the state's Democratic Party (CDP) endorsed a resolution supporting the legalization of the crop at their annual convention in Sacramento this week. The resolution states, in part, "The CDP endorses the legalization of the domestic production of Industrial Hemp, and strongly recommends to the State Legislature that laws be adopted to allow Industrial Hemp to be cultivated and harvested." "This vote of confidence is a stunning victory for the industrial hemp movement," proclaimed Mari Kane, editor and founder of the California-based HempWorld Journal. Kane and several other hemp advocates had booths at the CDP's convention, which hosted more than two thousand delegates. The resolution was put forth by Sam Clauder, a member of the central committee of the Orange County Democratic Party and executive director of the pro-hemp advocacy group, Californians for Agricultural and Industrial Renewal, (CAIR). "Democrats have a solid majority in both chambers of the California legislature and control most statewide elected offices," Clauder told The Week Online. "The democrats are really the machine of state politics, and this is an important prelude to getting an industrial hemp bill introduced and passed this year. Without the machine behind it, it would be harder to accomplish." Clauder, who is a political consultant, said he learned of hemp's value while working for environmental causes. A political action committee has been formed, and Clauder says he hopes to raise at least $20,000 to lobby for hemp. Plans have also been drawn up to make hemp an issue at the 2000 Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Los Angeles. "At that time," Clauder said, "we intend to place a plank in the national platform of the Democrat Party, to establish the legalization of industrial hemp as a political issue of major importance to the nation's economy and the planet's ecology."
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