Pubdate: Sun, 29 Sep 2013
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Joe Garofoli

CALIFORNIA LAW TO ALLOW INDUSTRIAL HEMP CROPS

California farmers could be growing industrial hemp - not marijuana, 
mind you - by spring after Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation that 
would permit California farmers to grow the long-banned distant 
cousin of the trippy herb.

But only if the federal government lifts its hemp cultivation ban.

The new law permits the growing of industrial hemp - which contains 
trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active psychoactive 
component in cannabis - for the sale of seed, oil and fiber. Nine 
other states have passed similar laws.

There is a potential agricultural windfall in California, where $500 
million worth of hemp products were sold in 2012, according to 
industry figures - but all the raw hemp was imported from China, 
Canada and eastern Europe.

But that windfall won't be realized unless the federal law is 
relaxed. Federal law regulates hemp in largely the same way it does 
its medicinal cousin. There hasn't been a commercial industrial hemp 
crop grown in the U.S. since 1957, hemp advocates say.

But state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, the law's sponsor, feels 
that could soon change given recent statements from the federal 
Department of Justice.

In August, a memo from Deputy Attorney General James Cole clarified 
that the federal government would de-emphasize marijuana prosecutions 
in "states and local governments that have enacted laws legalizing 
marijuana in some form" and have "strong and effective regulatory and 
enforcement systems."

Oversight structure

Leno believes his legislation sets up just such a structure in California.

It authorizes the California Department of Food and Agriculture and 
county agriculture commissioners to exercise oversight of hemp 
production, as they do with other crops.

On Monday, Leno will ask state Attorney Gen. Kamala Harris to seek 
clarification from the Department of Justice about whether its August 
memo gives a green light to industrial hemp crops now that the state 
has approved a regulatory process for them.

"I hope by next spring, this (planting) could be happening," Leno said.

"For (the federal government) to say it's OK for marijuana and not 
hemp would be ridiculous," Leno said. "It seems a given that hemp 
would be included in (Cole's) statement."

Leno scoffed at the notion that the new law is a back door to 
legalizing marijuana for recreational use in the state. Colorado and 
Washington are the only states that permit adult recreational use of 
marijuana. Medicinal marijuana is legal in California, 19 other 
states and the District of Columbia.

"Anyone who says that just shows a lack of knowledge," Leno said. 
"Unfortunately, hemp got wrapped up in the hysteria around marijuana 
decades ago."

Federal measures

But John Lovell, a lobbyist for the California Narcotics Officers 
Association, which opposed the measure, said it "would take more than 
a letter signed by the Department of Justice to have weight. I'd like 
to see some legislative action" in Congress.

Two federal measures, one each in the House and Senate, tried to 
legalize growing industrial hemp this year, but got only a handful of 
co-sponsors.

Should Californians gain approval to begin planting industrial hemp, 
the retail market for hemp products could boom. It is used in 
everything from clothing to soap, and as a substitute for fiberglass 
in automobile parts.

"I think the market could double to $1 billion within five years," 
said Tom Murphy, a board member of Vote Hemp, an industry advocate. 
"It could be hugely influential. California is the largest 
agricultural state, after all."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom