cannabisnews.com: Bill for Industrial Hemp Study Shelved 





Bill for Industrial Hemp Study Shelved 
Posted by FoM on November 14, 2001 at 13:12:49 PT
By Adriana Colindres, State Capitol Bureau
Source: State Journal-Register
A top supporter of a proposal to allow the University of Illinois to study industrial hemp said Tuesday he probably won't call his controversial bill for a vote during the fall veto session.Rep. Ron Lawfer, R-Stockton, attempted Tuesday to persuade his colleagues to override Gov. George Ryan's veto of House Bill 3377. But Lawfer withdrew the bill from consideration after several minutes of debate. 
The debate included a comment from Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw, R-Naperville, that approving the bill would send the wrong message to young people about illegal drugs.He said later that "unless something changes," he will not seek a vote on the bill during the veto session, which still has five more days to run.Lawfer has championed the idea of a study on industrial hemp for a couple of years. He believes the plant, a biological relative of marijuana, could become a new cash crop for struggling farmers.Industrial hemp was grown in Illinois during the early 20th century. Now, it may not be grown anywhere in the United States without permission. In other countries, hemp seeds and fibers are used in producing clothes, paper and other items.On two occasions, similar industrial hemp bills have won approval in the Illinois House and Senate. Each time, however, Ryan vetoed them.HB3377 was a revised version of an earlier industrial hemp bill. Ryan vetoed it in August, saying that while the bill's supporters are well-meaning, the measure "plays into the national strategy of groups seeking to remove existing criminal penalties for cannabis/marijuana possession and use."Lawmakers could override the governor's veto with a three-fifths vote in each chamber, meaning 71 "yes" votes in the House and 36 "yes" votes in the Senate.When Lawfer's bill passed last spring, it garnered 72 votes in the House and 38 in the Senate."I wasn't sure that I had 71 votes," Lawfer said Tuesday.With the upcoming 2002 elections, which will require lawmakers to run in newly drawn legislative districts, some were reluctant to support the industrial hemp bill, he said. He declined to name any of them.One part of Lawfer's bill would require U of I researchers to try to develop a hemp plant without the psychoactive ingredient THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is also present in marijuana and causes a "high."Also on Tuesday, the House voted 106-8 to accept Ryan's suggested changes to House Bill 2412, which would allow beer sales at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium.The bill passed last spring, when the Chicago Bears were considering a temporary move to Champaign during Soldier Field's $500 million renovation. The Bears since have announced they will be playing at Memorial Stadium.In an amendatory veto message last summer, Ryan said he would accept beer sales at the stadium, as long as they didn't start until 90 minutes before kickoff and ceased at the end of the third quarter. Such a change would be in line with the standards at other professional football stadiums, Ryan said.To become law, the governor's changes also must pass in the Senate.Note: Lawmakers worry about sending wrong message. Source: State Journal-Register (IL)Author: Adriana Colindres, State Capitol BureauPublished: November 14, 2001Copyright: 2001 The State Journal-RegisterContact: letters sj-r.comWebsite: http://www.sj-r.com/Related Articles & Web Site:FTE's Hemp Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/hls.htmBill To Study Hemp Farming Crops Up Again http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9080.shtmlAnother Bill In Illinois Legislature Promotes Hemphttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8929.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 15, 2001 at 19:45:47 PT
Interesting Hemp Web Site: The Future Of Plastics
http://www.hempplastic.com/
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Comment #4 posted by ekim on November 15, 2001 at 18:39:41 PT:
hemp, a major economic crop in China,
LTE to State Journal-Register 
Dear Sir, Rep. Ron Lawfer, R-Stockton is trying to warn the American people
as to what China and Canada along with 30 other countries are growing. While
Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw sides with law enforcement hiding behind the save
the children banner, dumbing down the kids is not in our Country or the kids
best interest. Stopping our farmers and our higher schools of learning from
growing and studying and competing only hurt us not help us. We should look
at the people that want this country to take a back seat to the rest of the
planet and ask ourselves why are we not changing the out dated drug laws.  Mike Chinese Hemp Industry has Boundless PotentialBusiness News
Source: People's Daily As world fashion increasingly moves toward simplicity, comfort and health
protection, experts point out that hemp, a major economic crop in China,
could have great market prospects after the nation's entry into the World
Trade Organization.
Xia Jingyuan, a senior official with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture in
charge of the extension of agricultural technology, said that the annual
output of Chinese linen is worth over 10 billion yuan (about 1.2 billion US
dollars).According to Xia, the ongoing upgrading of China's agricultural industry has
given Chinese hemp a great opportunity.Environmentally friendly, high value-added and versatile, Chinese hemp
products could be a major money-maker in market both here and abroad, said
Xia.For example, ramie, once used as forage, could provide a new type of
vegetable protein for livestock and boost stockbreeding of southern China.Red hemp used in paper making could prevent the felling of forests while
clothing made from hemp is particularly comfortable to wear and poses no
health hazard.Being one of the earliest fabrics used in China, hemp's heyday can date back
4,000 years when only nobles and royal families could afford to wear finely
spun linen while coarse linen were favored by commoners.The production technology of linen has undergone constant improvement. In
1984, the country made a breakthrough in the degumming technology, bringing
worldwide attention to linen products.Analysts say that to establish a modern linen manufacturing and processing
system with Chinese characteristics, China should double its efforts in
scientific research and international cooperation, because each breakthrough
in relevant technology will greatly boost the sector's upgrading.Source: People's Daily (China)
Published: Sunday, November 04, 2001
Copyright: People's Daily Online
Website: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/home.html
FB: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/other/feedback.html
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Comment #3 posted by mayan on November 14, 2001 at 16:47:17 PT
Beer Sales...
Isnt it ironic that beer sales at Bear's games are more important than helping our farmers & our environment? What kind of message does that send? It is obvious where our lawmakers priorities are. These representatives only represent powerful corporations(Anheuser Busch,Miller,etc.)! It is due time to demand that our voice be heard. Our Government is spinning out of control & we will all pay unless we take it back. It is up to us because the system can't help itself...it is well beyond the point of no return. ! The time to act is now!!!Note: Rep. Ron Lawfer's name is listed as I.Lawfer in my previous link.
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on November 14, 2001 at 15:34:36 PT
Act Now!
Ron Lawfer,a co-sponsor of these bills,said that"unless something changes,"he will not seek a vote on the bill during the veto session,which still has five days to run. We all need to e-mail or fax our Illinois State Legislators & let them know we will not tolerate this nonsense. Lawfer & Evelyn Bowles should be contacted first. They have twice passed this bill & just now they are having second thoughts about "sending the wrong message?" Here is the link to e-mail Illinois State legislators:http://congress.nw.dc.us/cgi-bin/stateindex.pl?command=statemail&dir=nea&state=il&layout= 
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Comment #1 posted by Xanaralk on November 14, 2001 at 15:03:48 PT
Some people really don't get it ...
  Treating peacefull people like criminals is not a civilized way to send a message. Especially to children. when there was no prohibition , there was also no drug problem and poeple didn't feel the need to criminalize their fellow man in order to "save the children". Now we deprive ourselves of a valuable ressource for fuel ,fiber , medication and peacefull enjoyment because it would send "the wrong message".We might just as well put the severed head of their pot-smoking parents in their lunchbox to send them a message ...
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