Hemp Opposed By Authorities In
Ohio:
"The Drug Enforcement Administration and the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy
have said that permitting hemp farming would send the wrong signal to young people."
(Marijuananews.com note: Until the end of this
article, the author does a pretty good job reporting the facts. However, he ends his piece
with a little "cookie cutter journalism". Just cut out drug warrior’s
propaganda statements and paste them into your article. Too bad he didn’t research
the points and realize that they are all incorrect. One of the main reasons that the
state’s elected leaders may not support hemp is because they are swallowing the
prohibitionist line too, complete with hook and sinker. -- John Dvorak)
By Brian Witte
Associated Press Writer
April 23, 1999
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- With corn and soybean prices
still lagging, some Ohio farmers would like to see commercial hemp production legalized to
give them another way to make money.
See
"And I, for one,
would much rather drive through the Lancaster County countryside
and see field after field of a plant like hemp that is beneficial to society,
rather than field after field of tobacco leaves with their cancerous reputation."
and
Prohibitionist LA
Times Runs Favorable Article On Hemp.
Hemp is the non-hallucinogenic cousin of marijuana and can be used in cosmetics, beer,
plastics and paper, supporters say.
"Everyone thinks you’re talking wacky tobacky, and it’s not the same
thing at all," said Joe Hertel, a farmer in northwest Ohio’s Van Wert County.
Hemp—used for oil and protein products as well as for fiber—is grown in more
than 20 countries for a variety of products, including salad dressing, face cream, rope
and clothes.
Montana and Virginia have urged an end to a federal ban on industrial uses of hemp, and
the Minnesota Senate last month passed a bill aimed at permitting experimental hemp
production. The Hawaii House has approved a 10-acre test crop.
But there is little support for legalizing hemp production in Ohio among the
state’s elected leaders.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy have said that permitting hemp farming would send the wrong
signal to young people. They also worry that marijuana farmers could hide their crops with
industrial hemp plants. Police rely on pictures taken from aircraft to detect marijuana
fields.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
Supported