
McConnell bill would legalize hemp as agricultural product - gscott
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/380287-mcconnell-bill-would-legalize-hemp-as-agricultural-product
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blunte
I do not believe with the current administration and Jeff Sessions as Attorney
General - who seems particularly anti-marijuana - that this has any chance of
success.

Of course hemp is not marijuana, but that has not stopped the DEA from making
every effort to make them synonymous. The DEA has gone so far as to create
rules that are not based on US laws, and in fact are counter to US federal
laws in an effort to restrict hemp. This is gotten them a slap on the wrist at
least once by federal court.

Hemp is a fantastic plant with many unique and important uses. One has to
wonder why the US has, since the 1930s I believe, been so against it. One
might suspect the pharmaceutical industry has a vested interest in seeing hemp
(and its naughty cousin, marijuana) banned since there are health products
with documented human benefits that compare more favorably to some drugs made
by companies.

One might also suspect the private prison industry whose growth has swelled
under drug policies instituted in the 1980 which dramatically increased the
populations of people locked up for minor drug offenses.

In short, this is nice to hear about, but it is more likely to be a show piece
for McConnell to please his Kentucky constituents with.

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Mediterraneo10
> Hemp is a fantastic plant with many unique and important uses. One has to
> wonder why the US has, since the 1930s I believe, been so against it. One
> might suspect the pharmaceutical industry has a vested interest in seeing
> hemp (and its naughty cousin, marijuana) banned

Many countries around the world do not have the same restrictions on hemp
industrial production that the USA does, and yet, hemp isn't all that widely
used and other sources for materials are often preferred instead. I suspect a
lot of the praise of hemp as some kind of miracle material comes from those
who just want legal marijuana and they’ll say anything to get it, not people
who particularly care about industrial manufacturing.

~~~
MrFantastic
Name a dominant manufacturing countries that has legal hemp?

Exporting hemp is also an issue. The USA foreign policy forced most of the
world to make cannabis illegal since the 70s.

Since hemp was illegal, capital was invested in cotton and wood industrial
tools.

As hemp production increases so will the technology to produce goods.

~~~
ljcn
Er, China for one. Also France, Canada, UK, Germany, India, Italy, Japan,
Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Thailand,
...

Over 30 according to a quick look at wikipedia.

~~~
Clubber
Its funny to watch someone get slapped down with the ole' "name one," Rush
Limbaugh tactic. He uses it because people can't reply, since radio is one
way. Of course, if you use it on a two way communication, better look it up
first.

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bspn
My wife has a history of seizures, depression and anxiety which we've treated
with a cocktail of medicines (Cymbalta, Lyrica, Ativan, Klonopin etc, etc).
She recently started using a full spectrum CBD oil and it has made a MASSIVE
difference and it has allowed her to taper off all of her drugs and she is now
happier and less anxious than she has been for a long time. The THC component
of the oil is less than 0.4% so it has no psychoactive effect at all, and
while it may not be a wonder cure-all I think a lot of people could benefit
from at least trying it so I'm all in favor of any legalization efforts.

~~~
DiffEq
Hemp and Marijuana (where THC comes from) is not the same thing.

[https://ministryofhemp.com/hemp/not-
marijuana/](https://ministryofhemp.com/hemp/not-marijuana/)

~~~
bspn
The oil she uses is made from hemp, hence the low THC and why (as I understand
it) we can legally buy it across state lines.

~~~
vict00ms
I'm not saying that you're wrong, but most CBD oils on the market are not
derived from hemp plants...they just don't contain enough THC to legally
prohibit interstate shipping.

~~~
Fnoord
There is cannabis very high in THC, but low in CBD (those are generally the
sativa, makes one high) and there's cannabis high in CBD but low in THC (those
are generally the indica, makes one stoned). Example source with info at
Sensiseeds FAQ (English version) [1]. Quoting (just the effect difference):

"The effect of indica is generally classified as a ‘stone’, meaning that it is
more centred on the body. Indicas may enhance physical sensations such as
taste, touch and sound.

The indica effect is noted for being physically and mentally relaxing and it
may be soporific in larger doses.

Despite their lower weight and potentially longer flowering time, sativas are
valued by many growers for their ‘high’ effect.

This high may be characterised as cerebral, energetic, creative, giggly or
even psychedelic. It is less overpowering than the indica ‘stone’, and less
likely to send the user to sleep."

[1] [https://sensiseeds.com/en/info/faq/difference-between-
indica...](https://sensiseeds.com/en/info/faq/difference-between-indica-and-
sativa/)

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Hupriene
A WWII newsreel encouraging farmers to grow hemp:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8tG_0AJvnw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8tG_0AJvnw)

~~~
protomyth
It was a big war crop in North Dakota. I do believe the rope on the USS
Constitution is help.

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labster
The Constitution is written on hemp. Truly, legal hemp is what The Framers
intended.

~~~
Zarath
Source for this? A little searching is telling me this is a myth.

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ConcernedCoder
How about a source that disproves it entirely instead?
[https://www.usconstitution.net/constfaq_q145.html](https://www.usconstitution.net/constfaq_q145.html)

~~~
chimeracoder
> How about a source that disproves it entirely instead?

As pointed out in your link, the copy in the National Archives isn't written
on hemp, but the _first drafts_ of the Constitution - ie, as it was literally
being written - likely were.

OP misstated it slightly, or in a way that's a bit misleading, but it's not
incorrect.

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snsr
Legalize it.

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siruncledrew
Wow, so are the hemp products available (like hemp string) not actual hemp? I
had no idea it was illegal since it's not weed.

~~~
sgift
Most are imported:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp#United_States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp#United_States)

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kolbe
Hemp is a great rotation crop that adds nitrogen back into the soil. And
unlike alfalfa, hemp can get some money.

