If Obama Supports Medical Marijuana, What About Hemp?
On the heels of Obama's hugely popular decision to end the DEA's raids on medical marijuana providers, it's worth looking into some of the other absurd federal drug policies that interfere with states rights and common sense.
Hemp cultivation isn’t technically illegal in the U.S., but you need a special permit from the DEA, and if you ask for one they'll call you a hippie and tell you to go f@#k yourself. Seriously, try it. I applied last year and this is the response I got:
That about sums it up. Honestly, I don’t even get why this is an issue. Hemp isn’t drugs. Why DEA gives a damn if people want to cultivate hemp is completely beyond me. Near as I can tell, they're relying exclusively on the argument that people will surreptitiously grow marijuana in their hemp fields, which is preposterous because you can't do that. Hemp will cross-pollinate and destroy any commercial marijuana in its vicinity. It's the anti-pot.
Thus, I tend to assume that DEA's animosity towards hemp is merely a symptom of the broader culture war surrounding marijuana in general. They'll concede nothing to the reform community, even when their intransigence requires them to obstruct legitimate economic activity based on flimsy reasoning.
Of course, now that we have a president with the guts to tell DEA when they're out of line, there's simply no reason this issue can’t move forward. Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia have all passed laws authorizing hemp cultivation and eagerly await the federal go-ahead. Efforts to legalize hemp are also underway in Minnesota and in California, where a hemp bill died on the governor's desk (Schwarzenegger cited conflict with federal law as his reason for rejecting the legislation).
Hemp won't save our economy, but it can provide income for many good, hardworking people. We lead the industrialized world in the importation of hemp and it would make a great deal of sense to start producing it ourselves.
Hemp cultivation isn’t technically illegal in the U.S., but you need a special permit from the DEA, and if you ask for one they'll call you a hippie and tell you to go f@#k yourself. Seriously, try it. I applied last year and this is the response I got:
Dear Mr. Morgan,
We have finished processing your application to "grow hemp so I can make cool snacks and rope and stuff." We regret to inform you that you are a hippie and you can go screw yourself.
Yours cruelly,
Michele Leonhart,
Acting Administrator
Drug Enforcement Administration
P.S. Your blog sucks and if you put this letter in your blog, we'll burn down the Chipotle next to your office.
That about sums it up. Honestly, I don’t even get why this is an issue. Hemp isn’t drugs. Why DEA gives a damn if people want to cultivate hemp is completely beyond me. Near as I can tell, they're relying exclusively on the argument that people will surreptitiously grow marijuana in their hemp fields, which is preposterous because you can't do that. Hemp will cross-pollinate and destroy any commercial marijuana in its vicinity. It's the anti-pot.
Thus, I tend to assume that DEA's animosity towards hemp is merely a symptom of the broader culture war surrounding marijuana in general. They'll concede nothing to the reform community, even when their intransigence requires them to obstruct legitimate economic activity based on flimsy reasoning.
Of course, now that we have a president with the guts to tell DEA when they're out of line, there's simply no reason this issue can’t move forward. Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia have all passed laws authorizing hemp cultivation and eagerly await the federal go-ahead. Efforts to legalize hemp are also underway in Minnesota and in California, where a hemp bill died on the governor's desk (Schwarzenegger cited conflict with federal law as his reason for rejecting the legislation).
Hemp won't save our economy, but it can provide income for many good, hardworking people. We lead the industrialized world in the importation of hemp and it would make a great deal of sense to start producing it ourselves.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
Multi purpose Medical Marijuana farms Provide Mill Work jobs
Hello from the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We have been looking forward to being able to organically and sustainably grow giant potent medical marijuana plants for patients and entheogenics to have the herb and the leftover huge stems being fairly traded for making composite lumber,fiberboard,clothing,and paper to start out with. Restoring jobs in millwork and other artisan crafts by utilizing existing medical cannabis farmers experience,dedication,and kindness to help our local and the global economy is much appreciated and well worth it. We are so thankful that it is finally recognized that concentrating on growing giant potent female cannabis plants for entheogenic,medical,and fiber (from stems )for creating jobs will not only keep plants from becoming invasive,but will also provide superior fiber for lumber and paper etc. Another fact is that higher potency plants have more oil and protein in the seeds for foods and fuels right along with better,stronger,silkier fiber,for wood and clothing products etc. . Thank you all so much for removing the unconstitutional leaders of the old,failed,violent,sociopathic,and criminally insane prohibitionist movement as their fraudulently occupying forced religion was actually torturing and killing us. blessings to all : sincerely We the People of the Pacific Northwest and Beyond .
Not Just Us
They're chopping down the rain-forests in Brazil at alarming rates. The people doing it are not putting anything in its place and the rain is causing massive run off and taking luscious top soil away.
For many years I've hoped that they sow these seeds!
Our own dimwitted policies are causing other countries to ruin themselves as well.
They don't even have to harvest the stuff, just plant it! Rain on bare soil is so much more harsh than rain that's hit a leaf first, which is only a few feet from the ground.
I'm also a huge fan of bamboo, but to the best of my knowledge that's not indigenous, and they could end up with a "kudzu" problem on their hands with bamboo. Plus the seeds in marijuana or hemp could feed various birds.
I was reminded of a bit of
I was reminded of a bit of flawed reasoning last night:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/510/index.html
I did realize that most of the clear-cutters were in to total tree and herb removal, but am still in a bit of denial that people could so brazenly destroy their environment. But of course, the ranchers don't really care about the environment as much as they care about money. And I'm sure in their minds they consider themselves as performing some great benefit to the landscape. :-(
Back to the topic at hand… Is there some reason to use a non-THC version to grow fiber? Is the THC version more "gummy" and likely to clog machines with "pitch?" Seems to me it could be better to use the same plant to produce both buds and fiber.
THC and hemp
NewOldSalt:
You can make hemp fiber products out of drug-strain cannabis but if you are trying to cultivate fiber hemp you want very tall stalks that can be retted (separating the outer bast fibers from the pithy core) and a minimum of small branches, so you plant it very densely and let them grow very tall. Also, the sex of the plants does not matter to bast fiber production, and seed may be an intended secondary product of the crop, so male plants are not culled.
Even a high-THC strain of C. sativa will produce a low-quality marijuana if grown under these conditions. As it happens the cannabis strains developed for fiber production have little to no drug value.
Besides, since marijuana is illegal, there is no incentive for potential hemp farmers to attempt to recover marijuana from their fiber crops -- rather they are looking to distance themselves from the marijuana trade.
tanks
tanks, i will be notifying legislators
Opportunity
I think Native Americans should immediately start growing hemp on their sovereign lands.It would be interesting to see if Obama would allow the DEA to trespass on indian land and violate treaties for the purpose of stopping a new fuel source and preventing the poorest areas in the country from pulling themselves up.
big pharma, forest products, petro chemicals threatened by hemp
"Thus, I tend to assume that DEA's animosity towards hemp is merely a symptom of the broader culture war surrounding marijuana in general."
I, on the other hand, tend to assume government animosity towards hemp, cannabis, marijuana is a symptom of the broader economic war surrounding the plant. The history of its criminalization as illustrated in "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" for example certainly suggests this.
True
But money is certainly a part of culture. It doesn't exist outside of human experience.
I think both are related; like you say, money being the primary motivator. The money-lovers tend to hide their true motives and put on a show, feigning other reasons they think will most likely motivate the brainwashed masses.
However, I have no doubt there are folks in the mega corps(es) now who are using their spreadsheets to figure out how they can best capitalize it, when it's freed from the current tyranny. (In the same way they hedge their bets and donate to Democrats and Republicans at the same time. Their ideology is money and having control of others. Like you both said: "economic war" and "culture war.")
In your list of those threatened, each of them could embrace it and make money from it. The main folks who stand to "loose" are those invested in stamping it out. (Those who sell obscenely expensive military equipment, the unsustainably-swelling agencies who live to keep everyone in terror, and the individuals who love to go from one self-righteous adrenaline rush to another as they kick down doors.)
Hemp, Hemp, Hooray!
Environmentally friendly hemp is undergoing underground research in Canada to eliminate any and all traces of cannabinoids from the final hemp product. A cannabinoid-free hemp plant will go a long way toward making hemp acceptable for commercial use.
A means of genetically distinguishing hemp from marijuana is also available, which means the Feds will no longer be able to claim that cops in America (unlike anywhere else) are allegedly too dumb to distinguish hemp and marijuana.
The many applications for hemp include producing fiber biocomposites for car bumpers. Even American graduate students are pioneering new uses for hemp construction materials. Green plastics are another application.
New medical uses for hemp and marijuana continue to be discovered, with compounds that act as antagonists for inflammation and pain.
With all these prime benefits, denying American growers the right to produce environmentally superior hemp is the environmental, economic and medical equivalent of shooting the nation in the foot. Americans in the current state of the economy simply cannot afford to dismiss important economic and environmental opportunities such as domestic hemp cultivation. The loss to society would be too great.
Giordano
whiskey is more potent than the most potent cannabis
So it makes no sense to say that high thc content cannabis which makes far superior products for all applications .
cont. from above high potency cannabis.
It makes no sense to prohibit high thc cannabis from being allowed to be used to make all hemp products. high potency cannabis is better in every way than low potency cannabis for every product. And every job
obama legalizing hemp?
It may come as a surprise to you but the president is not a dictator - yet. You'd need our reliable Congress to actually pass a law to "legalize" marijuana or hemp. Write your local representatives. It would be more effective than waiting for the Wizard to wave his magic healing wand of hope and change.
legalizing hemp
It may come as a surprise to you that Obama has not legalized medical marijuana...he simply said that the federal govt will not interfere with states who have legalized it.This should also apply to states like N Dakota who have legalized industrial hemp farming.This may also come as a surprise to you...Native American land is sovereign...like a seperate country...and the raids by the federal govt to confiscate hemp crops are an illegal invasion of that sovereignty,especially when the treaty signed with the US govt specifically encourages hemp farming.
I don't need any lessons from you.Ron Paul has already introduced legislation that simply adds wording to already existing law exempting the hemp plant from the CSA just as hemp products already are.It's the cowardly politicians (especially phony "small govt" republicans) who won't even let it get to a vote that need a lesson.
Fail
"Not a dictator - yet"
What an effing tool.
Wildwood Weed
Wouldn't it be great to legalize the wildwood Weed. Here I am 71 years old and have not had a puff in over 30 years. Booze and medications do not mix but the Wildwood Weed would.This is a long ways past due.
Cannabis is not illegal!
The illegal government that prohibits it unconstitutionally is illegal!
re obama legalizing hemp guy.
thats your opinion and and their not a congress they are a forced religion and illegal government.
Congress ? reliable?
Haa ha ha what a sick joke!
obama legalizing hemp re
Why would anyone write to unconstitutional illegal government congressmen or representatives who illegally started wars against people and drugs? Weve already done that over and over. these unconstitutional dictators are the wizards of plunder and enslavement against the people of earth waving their magic wands of intimidation,terrorism,and wall st insider trading fraud gambling rackets! So go fuck yourself if you dont understand and congratulations if you get the drift! Im getting your drift and it wreaks of monsanto terror stink !
Holder renegging?
Has anyone heard about Holder renegging on the ban on raids?
Take a look...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-medpot7-2009mar07,0,5710770.story
Re on Obama legalizing hemp post.
It may come as a surprise to you but most people dont recognize your unconstitutional governments dictatorial powers or right to even exist as they past and currently operate. Gambling away each countries freedom by a few Wall St Global Casino gamers is not nor has it ever been ok. It was the asshole globalists that sponsored genocide of Native American Indians and Enslavement of Native Africans effectively ignoring and deleting the implementation of the Constitution,Bill of Rights,and Declaration of Independence. If sacred documents of freedom only apply to a few people then no one is truly free! When injustice becomes law resistance becomes duty!
Continental Congress
Meetings to plan it are coming to a town near you very soon:
http://www.wethepeoplefoundation.org/#LatestNews
Please attend, if at all possible.
I'm pro-choice on EVERYTHING!
The Constitution has not Failed!
Unconstitutional government leaders have failed!
if hemp could talk...
it would say smoke me be happy and use the rest to clothe people.
plain dumb
Hemp can be used to make lots of things.its strands are more stronger than regular cotton.My question is, why donsnt the governmet make it profitable and gain money? i know the affects of it and its so called "bad" things about it, but i want the government to pull-out records of marijuana killing someone.If you think weed is a drug than your a really dumb person.
all im trying to get out for the people to see is, grow it, sell it, taxe it, and make great profit off of it. and by the way "ITS A NATURAL HERB"
there's no necotine or other sort's of chemicals in it.Marijuana helps in so many ways that the office's dont want people to know it can treat and slow down the process of Cancer, glucoma, terets, depression, alstimers and i can go on forever.
The way i see it, law makers are trying to kill its own people instead of helping them. one drop of necotine can kill a person, and they still decide to sell cigaretts. The representatives would rather decide to kill off its own people and thats just sad to see that all there lie's and broken promisses got them into the white house and they turn there backs to the people who chose them to be in office.
I need help from anyone who is willing to help me for what i belive.
[email protected] send your reply's and help me fight this.
re plain dumb
unconstitutional leaders from the government rely on ganja being illegal along with all the other illegal drugs so like oliver north they can secretly smuggle and deal drugs. this also raises the wall street insider trading stocks of legal drugs molecularly similar to illegal drugs and herbs which unconstitutional leaders also secretly profit from. their getting away with what martha stewart did except on a much larger scale with more violence inserted into the scam. the violence of prohibition creates risk which inflates the profits just like all the fraudulent leaders who were working for al capone. some of the largest lobbyists for keeping prohibitions going are the most violent drug cartel both from the illegal and legal drug world. It comes from wall street as usual.
the real reason why weed is illegal
rich bastards who owned huge tracks of land who wanted to log the trees and sell the waste to make paper persuaded government officials to make the much cheaper and durable and sustainable hemp illegal so they may now have the huge multi billion dollar paper business all to them selves so farmers and small business owners and any other paper needing operations will have to pay the over the top prices we all pay for a inferior product that is just billionaires garbage.
wrap that one around your noodle, ever try to get a market pulp quote?
I guess I'm not understanding...
Dear whomever reads this,
I guess I'm a little confused. I was under the mistaken impression that growing hemp was a perfectly legitimate endeavor. I've seen hemp products in many stores and have even purchased them myself.
Is this some sort of bizarre dream that I'm having? I thought that hemp was one of the few crops that was good for the environment. I really doubt that police are too dumb to know the difference between hemp and marijuana.
Sincerely, Michael.
To clear your confusion...
Hemp products are legal, but the cultivation of hemp itself is illegal. Meaning, of all of the hemp products that you see, the hemp itself must be imported from another country. Makes absolutely no sense, and I'm not even going to get into how I feel about this.
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