[tortoise]

The process of producing fir pulp doesn't have to be filthy by nature, though some nasty processes have been used in the past and in some cases are used today. This usually boils down to market demand and production costs. People have become accustomed to types of paper that are really difficult to make from ANYTHING without substantial chemical processing.

[steve50]

I agree there. The demand that it be so white seems to be the main problem. The cannabis advocates are making a uselss argument here. It's a simple matter of constitutional freedoms. In the early 1900's it was an accepted fact that the goverment had no authority to prohibit personal use of anything, that's why this started with the Harrison Tax Act. If you wish to see a prime example of abuse of authority you should read up on how that was enforced.