Pubdate: Wed, 06 Sep 2000
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2000 The New York Times Company
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Section: Campaign Briefing

THE GREEN PARTY

SUPPORT FOR HEMP Ralph Nader on Tuesday joined people who want to grow and 
market industrial hemp in criticizing federal agencies for making it 
difficult to grow the crop. Mr. Nader, the Green Party presidential 
candidate, also spoke out against a recent raid on a South Dakota Indian 
reservation in which federal agents seized at least 2,000 plants the owner 
said were industrial-grade hemp.

Hemp cannot be grown commercially in the United States because it is in the 
same family as marijuana, although Mr. Nader pointed out that the levels of 
hallucinogenic THC are far lower in hemp than in marijuana. "It is 
analogous to consuming poppy seed bagels or nonalcoholic beer," he said. 
"Although these foods both have a small psychoactive component, people do 
not abuse them." Mr. Nader said the Drug Enforcement Administration was 
proposing rules requiring that a product containing any THC be listed in 
the same category as heroin and LSD.

(Associated Press)
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