Posted on 01/15/2007 2:07:51 PM PST by ellery
BISMARCK, N.D. - David Monson began pushing the idea of growing industrial hemp in the United States a decade ago. Now his goal may be within reach — but first he needs to be fingerprinted. Monson plans this week to apply to become the nation's first licensed industrial hemp farmer. He will have to provide two sets of fingerprints and proof that he's not a criminal.
The farmer, school superintendent and state legislator would like to start by growing 10 acres of the crop, and he spent part of his weekend staking out the field he wants to use.
"I'm starting to see that we maybe have a chance," Monson said. "For a while, it was getting really depressing."
Last month, the state Agriculture Department finished its work on rules farmers may use to grow industrial hemp, a cousin of marijuana that does not have the drug's hallucinogenic properties. The sturdy, fibrous plant is used to make an assortment of products, ranging from paper, rope and lotions to car panels, carpet backing and animal bedding.
Applicants must provide latitude and longitude coordinates for their proposed hemp fields, furnish fingerprints and pay at least $202 in fees, including $37 to cover the cost of criminal record checks.
Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson said the federal Drug Enforcement Administration still must give its permission before Monson, or anyone else, may grow industrial hemp.
"That is going to be a major hurdle," Johnson said.
Another impediment is the DEA's annual registration fee of $2,293, which is nonrefundable even if the agency does not grant permission to grow industrial hemp. Processing the paperwork for Monson's license should take about a month, Johnson said.
A DEA spokesman has said North Dakota applications to grow industrial hemp will be reviewed, and Johnson said North Dakota's rules were developed with the agency's concerns in mind. Law enforcement officials fear industrial hemp can shield illicit marijuana, although hemp supporters say the concern is unfounded.
North Dakota is one of seven states that have authorized industrial hemp farming. The others are Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana and West Virginia, according to Vote Hemp, an industrial hemp advocacy organization based in Bedford, Mass.
California lawmakers approved legislation last year that set out rules for industrial hemp production, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it. The law asserted that the federal government lacked authority to regulate industrial hemp as a drug.
In 2005, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, introduced legislation to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana in federal drug laws. It never came to a vote.
Monson farms near Osnabrock, a Cavalier County community in North Dakota's northeastern corner. He is the assistant Republican majority leader in the North Dakota House and is the school superintendent in Edinburg, which has about 140 students in grades kindergarten through 12.
In 1997, during his second session in the Legislature, Monson successfully pushed a bill to require North Dakota State University to study industrial hemp as an alternative crop for the state's farmers.
Canada made it legal for farmers to grow the crop in March 1998. Last year, Canadian farmers planted 48,060 acres of hemp, government statistics say. Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the provinces along North Dakota's northern border, were Canada's biggest hemp producers.
"I do know that industrial hemp grows really well 20 miles north of me," Monson said. "I don't see any reason why that wouldn't be a major crop for me, if this could go through."
That all depends on if anyone is stoned or not reading it.
If anyone is stoned now? it might distort a perception of reality therefor ruining any chance at being able to recognizing the truth.
George Washington was in a cult, and the cult was into aliens, man. ... Behind every good man there is a woman, and that woman was Martha Washington, man, and everyday George would come home, she would have a big fat bowl waiting for him, man, when he come in the door, man, she was a hip, hip, hip lady, man. ... Didja ever look at a dollar bill, man? There's some spooky shit goin' on there. And it's green too.
Is that you Dave?
Myself, I only have one set of fingerprints. So I guess I'm out....
Like being able to tell rope from dope?
Don't know. What does growing industrial hemp have to do with legalizing marijuana? Do you believe the argument that all hemp is marijuana?
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/ade80316.page
Marijuana flourished during the '60s and '70s. By 1979, surveys revealed that 15 million Americans were using marijuana at least once a week and that 60 percent of high school seniors had used marijuana at least once. This psychoactive drug, a popular counterculture symbol of the '60s and '70s, steadily decreased in popularity during the 1980s. But today it is still by far the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. In 1985, 28.6 million Americans had used marijuana at least once during the past year compared with 18 million in 1994.
I can't tell you that there aren't people associated with one who don't try to associate themselves with the other. The question is does that change the reality, or just the perception?
My other point is talking to libertarians and potheads on this topic is a exercise in futility.
Did you roll and smoke your favorite T-shirt?
You figure on winning the culture war by attacking a "symbol" from 40 years ago?
Indeed.
You can thank William Randolph Hearst for the fact that it was erradicated and made illegal many years ago in this country.
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