Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA) Copyright: 2006 The Media News Group Contact: http://www.chicoer.com/feedback Website: http://www.chicoer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861 Author: Glynda-Lee Hoffmann Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1118/a01.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/industrial+hemp (Hemp) Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority HEMP A VERSATILE COMMODITY I read with pleasure your editorial, "Logic prevails in hemp legislation," on Tuesday. Add to all the benefits you listed, industrial hemp is a weed, eradicated all over the U.S. by the FDA, called "ditchweed." When growing it as a crop no pesticides are needed and very little water, so it can be grown in marginal areas. Besides all the products that can be made from hemp, you neglected to say diesel grade oil and hemp's most historical product, paper, a better grade than can be produced using wood fiber. Also, hemp seed protein is the most complete plant protein available, with 21 known amino acids. Hemp could lead the way for California's farmers to become world leaders in a new sustainable economy. Glynda-Lee Hoffmann Chico - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin