Pubdate: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711 Fax: (714) 565-3657 Website: http://www.ocregister.com/ Author: unknown Section: Commentary Page: 2 Rerlated: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99/n1161/a02.html EDITORIAL UPDATE The Canadian Embassy has brokered a deal to allow Canadian producers to continue to send sterilized hempseed to birdseed sellers in the United States. Although hemp seeds have been used in birdseed for decades and Canadian hempseed growers have been supplying U.S. companies openly and legally for decades, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in August had seized a truckload of sterilized hempseed and demanded that 17 loads shipped previously be recalled. The DEA had no legal authority for this move but seems to have possessed by a Zero Tolerance Demon. Concerned that the action might pose a threat to other hemp products like food, body care products, pet food and fabrics, the Canadian Hemp Idustry Association became closely involved in the intensive effort to force the DEA to obey U.S. law rather than making up new rules as it went along. "We weren't going to let the DEA push Kenex around without a fight because we knew this was a test case for how DEA approaches hemp in the future," said HIS president Cindy Biggers. Few Americans are aware of it, but an increasing number of Canadian farmers are growing hemp for industrial uses. The U.S. government prevents American farmers from growing this useful and potentially profitable crop. - --- MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst