Pubdate: Thu, 15 May 2014
Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)
Copyright: 2014 Star Advertiser
Contact: 
http://www.staradvertiser.com/info/Star-Advertiser_Letter_to_the_Editor.html
Website: http://www.staradvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5154
Author: Sarah Zoellick
Page: B1
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm (Hemp)

KENTUCKY'S BATTLE OVER HEMP SEEDS RAISES ALARMS IN ISLES

A Hawaii lawmaker hopes U.S. Customs won't stop the shipment of hemp
seeds from China that will launch a research project in Hawaii after a
hold was put on seeds headed to Kentucky this week.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a bill into law last month that
authorizes a two-year industrial hemp research project led by the
University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Lawmakers leery of supporting hemp had their worries put to rest in
February when President Barack Obama signed farm legislation that in
part permits state agriculture departments and universities to grow
hemp for research purposes.

Kentucky's Department of Agriculture, however, is suing the Drug
Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice and U.S. Customs to
release the state's hemp seeds, which were recently held up en route
from China.

"Hawaii, like Kentucky, has everything to gain with the introduction
of hemp as a profitable crop for our agricultural industry," Rep.
Cynthia Thielen, a 20-year champion for industrial hemp growth, said
Wednesday in a news release. "It is shocking that the DEA would delay
the importation of hemp seed in order to prevent the initiation of
these legal projects."

Although hemp is identified as part of the cannabis sativa plant
species along with marijuana, it does not contain nearly enough
tetrahydrocannabinol to get a user high. The DEA in the 1950s,
however, began interpreting the Controlled Substances Act as
preventing industrial hemp cultivation.

Previous hemp research projects required DEA permits that were
extremely difficult to obtain.

Thielen said she plans to keep Hawaii's research project on track by
meeting with key players Thursday.

"I am contacting the agriculture commissioner in Kentucky and am
looking forward to a positive result from the negotiations between
that state's leadership and the DEA," she said in the release.
"Hopefully Hawaii will not have the struggle that Kentucky has faced.
and we can proceed with our project quickly and effectively."

UH scientists plan to study how well hemp's natural soil cleansing
properties can remove toxins from a contaminated site on the Hickam
side of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam once the law takes effect July
1.
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MAP posted-by: Matt