cannabisnews.com: County Board Calls for More Research on Hemp





County Board Calls for More Research on Hemp
Posted by CN Staff on October 26, 2004 at 18:07:17 PT
By Diane Strand, The MidWeek
Source: The MidWeek 
People can’t smoke it—it will make them sick.Nevertheless, Denny Sands—formerly a DeKalb County police officer and now chairman of the county board—said he couldn’t support even feasibility studies on a controlled substance. The particular substance in this case is industrial hemp, a second cousin to marijuana.
Last week, the majority of the board disagreed with Sands. They approved a resolution calling for revisions to state and federal law to allow research on the development of industrial hemp as a cash crop in Illinois. The research would be conducted by the University of Illinois.Hemp is not exactly a radical substance. It’s supported by the Illinois Farm Bureau and has been used for 12,000 years for fiber and food. To board member Julia Fauci, an active environmentalist, it’s a no-brainer. Hemp is a strong material used as a substitute for paper. The latter must go through numerous and environmentally unfriendly treatments to make it white and serviceable.According to the resolution passed by the board, “industrial hemp fibers have proven to add strength, durability, longevity and recyclability to any fabric, paper or building material. In addition, “the seeds provide a highly nutritious and valuable oil used as an additive in foods, livestock feeds and personal care products.”Of special interest to Fauci, industrial hemp requires very little pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers—and also reduces the impact on sensitive forest ecosystems. There are some problems, though. For example, Fauci acknowledged hemp can cross-pollinate with marijuana.The following are just a few of the facts that motivated the county board to support the resolution on hemp:• Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp, and Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on it. In fact, Washington once said, “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed and sew it everywhere.”• Construction products such as plastics, medium density fiber board and even beams, studs and posts can be made out of hemp and would be stronger and/or lighter than those made from wood.• Henry Ford experimented with hemp to build car bodies, because he wanted to build and fuel cars from farm products. • Kimberly Clark (Fortune 500) has a mill in France that produces hemp paper preferred for Bibles, because it lasts a long time and doesn’t yellow.• A 1938 Popular Mechanics issue described hemp as a “new billion dollar crop.”• Hemp can displace cotton, which many times is grown with massive amounts of chemicals harmful to people and the environment. About 50 percent of all the world’s pesticides are sprayed on cotton.• At a volume level of 81 percent, hemp oil is the richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (good fats).• A poll of the American public conducted in 2003 found that 66 percent supported allowing U.S. farmers to grow industrial hemp.Illinois wouldn’t be alone if it decided to raise industrial hemp. Thirteen other states already have done so.In the county board discussion, Pat Vary, a biologist, noted, “This will help the farming community in this area. It’s a first step—a very important first step.”At that point, Sands said, “I will vote against this, because it is an illegal substance.”Fauci responded, “I feel that I trust the farming community. Canada has no fences and no problem.” And board member Vince Faivre added, “To suggest that this is a drug is a bit of a stretch. We aren’t voting here to allow it to grow—this is just to allow research.”  Note: Thirteen states already have allowed hemp to be grown as an industrial crop.Complete Title: County Board Calls for More Research on the Industrial Uses of Hemp PlantSource: The MidWeek (IL)Author: Diane Strand, The MidWeekPublished: Wednesday, October 27, 2004Copyright: 2004 The MidWeek, Inc. Contact: readit midweeknews.comWebsite: http://www.midweeknews.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Hemp Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/hls.htmBoard Votes To Back Industrial Hemp Growthhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19682.shtmlIndustrial Hemp Won’t Go To Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19656.shtmlLawmakers Back Plan To Legalize Industrial Hemphttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19264.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by breeze on October 27, 2004 at 00:06:23 PT
Maybe this has something to do with it....
I find some interesting news on yahoo- usually linked to AP. This story is HIGHLY appropiate. Connect the dots...
Enviromentalist sues over destruction of wildlife preserves for lumber...http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=ap/forest_rules_wildlife
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Comment #3 posted by John Tyler on October 26, 2004 at 20:38:03 PT
Prohibs' ignorance revealed
This hemp / cannabis distinction showed the prohibitionists ignorance on this topic. Their arguments fool no one anymore however. Their days in positions of authority are numbered. Too many people know the truth now and they are telling others. The prohibs had better change their ways or find another line of work. The times they are a'changin'. Hemp is here for good. It is a win-win opportunity for everyone. We can't afford not to have it. 
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on October 26, 2004 at 20:22:12 PT
howabout Illinois Farm Bureau hosting the 12 HIA 
 www.thehia.org 
11th ANNUAL HIA CONVENTION 
WE MEAN BUSINESS!San Francisco, CA
Wed. November 3rd - Fri. November 5th, 2004SCHEDULEWed. November 3rd - Hemp entrepreneurs and researchers will gather in San Francisco at the Holiday Inn Civic Center for Registration/Reception and an Awards Dinner at a local restaurant. Thur. November 4th - The HIA Annual General Meeting will be held all day featuring Hemp Product Displays, Expert Speakers, Silent Auction and Dinner. Evening entertainment at Green Business Conference. Fri. November 5th - Reserved for networking, committee meetings, and set up for the Green Festival, a must see event!Immediately following the HIA Convention will be the Green Festival, where the HIA, VoteHemp and many hemp companies will be exhibiting.
Saturday and Sunday, November 6th & 7th
Produced by Coop America and Global Exchange. Mark your calendar! Book your flights and rooms!
Holiday Inn Civic Center 
50 8th St. (and Market)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Room Reservations: 800-243-1135 
Be sure to tell them you are with the "Hemp Industries Association." Special rate for HIA attendees: $89 per night. Single or double. (Add. $20 for triple or quad. Rollaway beds available for add. $20)The HIA Reception Suite is on the 4th floor 
where there is a wrap-around roof patio (and pool). You can request a room on this floor for easy networking access. You can get a non-smoking, or smoking room and have outdoor access. Every room has a small balcony on all other floors, too.HIA Discounted Parking - $15 per day, with in and out privileges.More details on Registration, Agenda, Speakers, Silent Auction, Display Space, Donations, Sponsors, etc. to be announced. 
If you would like to assist or have suggestions, please let us know.Registration: 
$200 - Full Event for One Person. 
$150 - Additional employee, friend or family.
$100 - Nov. 4th Meeting Only. 
$150 - Nov. 4th Meeting & DinnerSign up for FREE Exhibit Space.
Bring DONATIONS for the Silent Auction, 
or send to the HIA office before October 30th.Click Here to download the HIA Convention Registration Form.
Send or Fax the completed form to:HIA
P.O. Box 1080
Occidental, CA 95465
Phone: 707-874-3648
Fax: 707-874-1104Payments accepted:Visa or Mastercard (call HIA office) 
Pay Pal - Use buttons below. 
U.S. check or postal money order in U.S. funds made out to the HIA. 
See you there!
HIA Convention Committee*****: $200 - Full Event for One Attendee$150 - Full Event for Additional Attendees$100 - Nov. 4th Meeting Only $150 - Nov. 4th Meeting and DinnerIf you only have American Express, Discover you can register at Acteva:
 
http://www.hempology.org
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Comment #1 posted by ekim on October 26, 2004 at 20:08:10 PT
Ralph has stayed the course and shown the way
  
 Nader At Odds With Drug Agency Plan 
Posted by FoM on September 05, 2000 at 15:32:28 PT
By Lance Gay, Scripps Howard News Service 
Source: InsideDenver Under pressure from the White House drug czar, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is planning to classify industrial-use hemp as the most serious narcotic drug, such as heroin and cocaine.
Green Party presidential nominee Ralph Nader disclosed the plan Monday and blasted government efforts to crack down on farmers who want to grow industrial-use hemp for use in food, cosmetics, carpets and paper products. "Industrialized hemp is not a drug,'' Nader said, contending that the industrialized version of the marijuana plant has lower levels of psychoactive chemicals than plants grown for human consumption. "Smoking it will give you a headache, not a high.''Nader said both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp on their plantations.Jeffery Gain, a member of the North American Industrial Hemp Council and president of the Blue Ridge Co. in Illinois, said allowing farmers to grow industrial hemp would help preserve small farms, and provide local economies with more jobs to process hemp into a variety of products and foods. "The crop is good for the environment, and it's good for the economy," Gain said.Rogene Waite, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, acknowledged the agency is redrafting the regulations concerning hemp and marijuana, but said she cannot discuss what the result might be, or when they will be published."We are working on some clarification of that subject," she said.Congress sought to discourage growing marijuana and hemp under the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which imposed stiff taxes on production of the weed. But the United States allows $200 million worth of imports of hemp food and fiber products each year mainly from Canada and China, and U.S. farmers say they should be allowed to participate in the market for the product.White House drug czar Barry McCaffrey wants to outlaw any hemp use, contending it sends the wrong message about drug abuse in the United States to permit legal sales of any form of the marijuana plant. He also has argued that hemp-based foods could distort drug-testing programs. Hemp seeds are used in nut bars sold at health food stores.Nader said hemp crops would yield farmers from $308 to $410 an acre, compared to the $103 to $137 per acre gained from growing canola."The DEA's intrusion into the realm of agriculture is preventing American farmers from growing a crop that has the potential to help address the global depletion of forest resources, the dependency on foreign oil, the harmful effects of petrochemicals, the excessive use of pesticides for fiber crops, and the economic depression of farming communities,'' he said.State legislatures in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota and Montana have passed pro-hemp legislation. Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Tennessee are considering similar measures.Lance Gay is a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service.Published: September 05, 2000
© Copyright, Denver Publishing Co.
 
http://www.aammi.org
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