Forgive me if I am wrong, but wasn’t industrial hemp re-legalized nationwide in the CROMNIBUS bill that was passed by Congress & signed into law last December?
IIRC, that same bill told the Feds to back off & not go after the States that re-legalized marijuana for medical use. It didn’t go nearly as far as I would like for it to have gone, but IMHO that’s a positive sign.
“(b) Compliance With State Law. —Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this title relating to marihuana shall not apply to any person acting in compliance with State law relating to the production, possession, distribution, dispensation, administration, laboratory testing, or delivery of medical marihuana.”
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/683/text
Didn't that just legalize hemp at the federal level and leave the decision to the states?
Yes, indeed. But the wood pulp paper lobby is dead set against legalizing hemp, even though they would be the optimal producer of hemp paper. As is the cotton industry, as the refined, silk-like hemp cloth would also likely put pressure on them as well.