Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jun 2013
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Copyright: 2013 Village Voice Media
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616

JARED POLIS'S HEMP AMENDMENT PASSES AFTER NODS TO GEORGE WASHINGTON,
BETSY ROSS

Last month, Colorado's legislature passed a hemp-farming registry bill
that Governor John Hickenloopersigned into law. But can hemp escape
the role of marijuana's sober sister on a national scale? A new
development gives it the best chance of doing so in ages. Colorado
Representative Jared Polis was among legislators pushing a hemp
amendment to the giant farm bill -- and after he took to the House
floor citing George Washington's advocacy and the possibility that
Betsy Ross's original flag was made of the fiber, the item passed. The
video and details below.

Here's the video of Polis and colleagues speaking on behalf of the
hemp amendment to the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management
Act of 2013, better known as the FARRM Bill. The legislation would
prevent the federal government from interfering with colleges and
universities that choose to research industrial hemp in states, like
Colorado, where doing so is legal.

This kind of measure might have gotten nowhere just a few short years
ago. But earlier today, it passed the House by a 225-200 vote, raising
hopes that lawmakers might opt to let states make their own decisions
when it comes to marijuana, too.

Look below to see a release about the amendment from Polis's office,
followed by a reaction from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a
national organization that advocates for marijuana
legalization.

Jared Polis office release:

Polis, Massie, Blumenauer Pass Amendment to Protect State Rights to
Grow Hemp for Research

Bipartisan Coalition Works to Give Colleges and Universities Ability
to Conduct Critical Research

WASHINGTON, DC -- Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO), Thomas Massie
(R-KY) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced an amendment to H.R.
1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013,
the FARRM Bill, that would allow colleges and universities to grow and
cultivate industrial hemp in states where it is already legal without
fear of federal interference. The amendment passed today by a vote of
225 to 200.

"Industrial hemp is an important agricultural commodity, not a drug,"
said Rep. Polis. "My bipartisan, common-sense amendment, which I've
introduced with Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Earl
Blumenauer (D-OR), would allow colleges and universities to grow and
cultivate industrial hemp for academic and agricultural research
purposes in states where industrial hemp growth and cultivation is
already legal. Many states, including Colorado, have demonstrated that
they are fully capable of regulating industrial hemp. George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp. The first American flag was
made of hemp. And today, U.S. retailers sell over $300 million worth
of goods containing hemp -- but all of that hemp is imported, since
farmers can't grow it here. The federal government should clarify that
states should have the ability to regulate academic and agriculture
research of industrial hemp without fear of federal interference. Hemp
is not marijuana, and at the very least, we should allow our
universities -- the greatest in the world -- to research the potential
benefits and downsides of this important agricultural commodity."

"Industrial hemp is used for hundreds of products including paper,
clothing, rope, and can be converted into renewable bio-fuels more
efficiently than corn or switch grass," said Rep. Massie. "It's our
goal that the research this amendment enables would further broadcast
the economic benefits of the sustainable and job-creating crop. I look
forward to working with Rep. Polis and Rep. Blumenauer on this issue."

"Because of outdated federal drug laws, our farmers can't grow
industrial hemp and take advantage of a more than $300 million dollar
market. We rely solely on imports to sustain consumer demand. It makes
no sense," said Blumenauer. "Our fear of industrial hemp is misplaced
- -- it is not a drug. By allowing colleges and universities to
cultivate hemp for research, Congress sends a signal that we are ready
to examine hemp in a different and more appropriate context."

Nineteen states have passed pro-industrial hemp legislation. The
following nine states have removed barriers to its production:
Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont,
Washington and West Virginia.

"Vote Hemp applauds this new bi-partisan amendment and we are
mobilizing all the support we can. This brilliant initiative would
allow colleges and universities the opportunity to grow and cultivate
hemp for academic and agricultural research purposes," said Eric
Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. "It would only apply to states
where industrial hemp growth and cultivation is already legal in order
for those states to showcase just how much industrial hemp could
benefit the environment and economy in those regions," continues Steenstra.

"Federal law has denied American farmers the opportunity to cultivate
industrial hemp and reap the economic rewards from this versatile crop
for far too long," said Grant Smith, policy manager with the Drug
Policy Alliance. "Congress should lift the prohibition on the domestic
cultivation of industrial hemp as soon as possible. Allowing academic
research is an important first step towards returning industrial hemp
cultivation to American farms."

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition release:

HOUSE ALLOWS STATES TO DETERMINE OWN HEMP POLICY; IS MARIJUANA NEXT?

States' Rights Win May be Harbinger of Future for States Legalizing
Marijuana

WASHINGTON, DC -- Drug policy reform activists are hopeful the passage
of an amendment of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management
Act of 2013 (FARRM Bill) allowing educational institutions to grow
hemp in states that have voted to allow research on the product will
be a harbinger of things to come for states that have legalized
marijuana. Despite repeated statements from the Obama administration
that a clarification on federal policy toward Colorado and Washington,
where voters approved initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana
last year, would be coming "soon," both states have thus far been left
in the dark as to whether voters' will is to be respected on the
federal level.

"In passing this amendment, Congress has taken a major step toward
respecting states' rights and the fundamental right of voters to
overturn wrongheaded policies out of step with the local populace,"
said retired Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, a member of Law
Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group of cops, judges and other law
enforcement officials opposed to the war on drugs. "It was action at
the state level that ended the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s and
if this vote is indicative of how the federal government will react to
voter-approved initiatives in Colorado and Washington legalizing and
regulating marijuana, it will be states that end the destructive,
senseless, wasteful prohibition of marijuana."

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition represents more than 5,000 police,
prosecutors, judges, corrections officials and other law enforcement
officials and 80,000 other supporters who believe that the war on
drugs has increased violence and decreased quality of life in
communities across America.
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MAP posted-by: Matt