Pubdate: Sat, 13 Jul 2002
Source: Wichita Eagle (KS)
Copyright: 2002 The Wichita Eagle
Contact:  http://www.wichitaeagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/680
Author: Debby Moore
Note: Debby Moore of Wichita is the chief executive of Hemp Industries of 
Kansas.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm (Hemp)

KANSAS MISSING OUT ON POTENTIAL OF HEMP

At a national convention in April, I saw several hemp products recently 
patented in Austria. I held in my hands a brick of composite material that 
will be used to build airplanes. There was also a pipe specifically 
designed to carry fiber optics.

Every country in the world except America is involved in full research and 
production of hemp products. NAFTA guarantees this unfair trade advantage, 
mandated by the narrow interpretation of the hemp plant by Congress and the 
Drug Enforcement Agency.

Automobile manufacturers, for example, are importing hemp from other 
countries to produce composites for American automobiles. This does not 
make any sense.

During World War II, Kansas was a principal supplier of seed for the 
national "Hemp for Victory" government campaign. It is the perfect state 
for the cultivation of hemp, as Kansas lacks several environmental factors 
to cultivate drug cannabis. The U.S. General Accounting Office refers to 
Kansas cannabis hemp as "ditch weed," not marijuana.

Archer Daniels Midland says in its advertising that if we need more fuel, 
we will just grow more corn. Yet hemp produces more gallons of fuel per 
acre than corn.

Hemp renders 3,000 gallons of fuel per acre. Consider the economic position 
our state would enjoy, should we be growing our own fuel.

Imagine also if we no longer imported paper from other states to fill our 
store shelves. Kansas would be growing its own paper. Imagine that Kansas 
businesses no longer imported plastics. Or that building materials for new 
construction came from Kansas soils.

Many more dollars would float into the Kansas economy. That could bring 
economic salvation for the farmers, entrepreneurs and state treasury.

Cultivating hemp in Kansas would encourage and empower agribusiness 
investors to create thousands of jobs in the new industries created by 
unbiased acceptance of this bountiful plant.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth