Industrial Hemp in the US
Hemp has been used for thousands of years and was even farmed and processed in the U.S. during World War II. The “Hemp for Victory” campaign urged American farmers to participate in government-funded hemp cultivation in order to support the war effort. The program ended quietly after the war, but it wasn’t until 1970, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), that marijuana and industrial hemp became outlawed altogether – even though their differences had been recognized for centuries. The variety of hemp grown for recreational purposes contains 20% THC. Industrial hemp grown for fibers and other industrial uses contains less than 2% THC.
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Livity and organizations like the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and the Vote Hemp campaign are working to educate the public to differentiate hemp and marijuana legally, amending parts of the CSA. Currently, 28 states have introduced legislation in favor of industrial hemp and in April 2009, the Hemp Farming Act of 2009 was introduced to the House of Representatives thanks to Vote Hemp’s efforts. The bill defined industrial hemp and assigned authority over it to the states, allowing laws in those states regulating the growing and processing of industrial hemp to take effect. The bill was assigned to committee, but has never received a hearing or a floor vote.
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"With so much discussion lately in the media about drug policy, it is surprising that the tragedy of American hemp farming hasn't come up as a 'no-brainer' for reform," says Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra. "Hemp is a versatile, environmentally-friendly crop that has not been grown here for over fifty years because of a politicized interpretation of the nation's drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). President Obama should direct the DEA to stop confusing industrial hemp with its genetically distinct cousin, marijuana. While the new bill in Congress is a welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful that President Obama's administration will prioritize hemp's benefits to farmers.
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Jobs would be created overnight, as there are numerous U.S. companies that now have no choice but to import hemp raw materials worth many millions of dollars per year," adds Steenstra.
Livity is working to educate the public and law-makers about the distinct differences between industrial hemp and psychoactive marijuana, reversing the stigma that’s been so prevalent since the counterculture. Visit our