Congress just voted to legalize hemp

[babylonsister]

Congress just voted to legalize hemp
The bill won’t legalize marijuana for recreational or medical uses, but allows non-psychoactive forms of cannabis.
By German [e-mail]@vox.com Dec 12, 2018, 4:16pm EST


With a push from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congress just voted to legalize hemp.

Hemp is derived from the cannabis plant, but it doesn’t get you high. Instead, it’s typically used for its fiber to make all kinds of products — food, paper, cardboard, carpets, clothes, rope, and more.

But hemp production and sales have historically been banned under federal drug laws that also prohibit marijuana. (You might see some hemp products in some places in the US, but those usually come from technically illegal sources, outside the country, or places that got narrow exceptions under recent pilot programs.) The bill passed by Congress won’t legalize pot for recreational or medical uses; it only deals with hemp.

McConnell (R-KY), along with Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), introduced the bill earlier this year. It was wrapped into the broader farm bill, which mostly deals with agriculture subsidies and food assistance programs, and passed with that legislation. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.

more...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/12/12/18136408/congress-hemp-marijuana-legalization-farm-bill

[Phoenix61]

1. Awesome news.

Hemp fibers make incredibly soft fabric. The plant is much easier on the environment to grow than cotton.

[RT Atlanta]

2. Good start!

Hope this will be signed into law.

[uponit7771]

3. This is concerning ... there must be something bad about to happen.

[Caliman73]

10. More likely that some large corporations have secured sufficient market share.

Like Bohner is doing now with cannabis. Large corporations are positioning themselves to make a killing off of psychoactive marijuana.

I have said, the moment that Exxon-Mobil figures out how to make money off of the sun, solar power will be "the greatest thing".

[uponit7771]

13. +1

[Eyeball_Kid]

29. Hemp is different.

Some historians will point out that the real reason for pot’s prohibition is BECAUSE of the serious competition that hemp brought to the plastics and timber industries in the 1930s. The DuPont and Hearst families decided to lobby for the prohibition of pot because they could convince the government that pot and hemp were virtually identical, so both must be prohibited. Recall that Henry Ford was using hemp in the production of his cars with great success. So they (especially the DuPonts) proceeded to vilify marijuana as a black man’s threat to white men’s women. The “Reefer Madness” movie and public service themes then were part of a media propaganda campaign that stigmatized pot as a racially charged societal menace while raking in big profits (from the hemp prohibition) for the Hearsts and the DuPonts.

[ecstatic]

4. Interesting. Has anyone seen the John Boehner commercials about the American Cannabis Summit?

Where Boehner & Co. are encouraging people to invest in the marijuana industry? It's all coming together now...

[Hassler]

22. Boner went from Mr Merlot to Mr Mellow.

[BigmanPigman]

5. They must have just invested in hemp stocks and companies.

They only vote for things that benefits them, usually financially.

[Blue_true]

14. Many states on the eastcoast, WestCoast and GulfCoast have climates ideal for growing the stuff.

Plus, it grows like a weed, no real need to over fertilize or water. Could become a big crop that supplies several industries. With tobacco declining, North Carolina certainly would want it, the stuff grows in abundance there in the wild.

[BigmanPigman]

16. I know...It is a really strong fiber and great product.

The GOP never wanted to be associated with it in the past due to the confusion with the drug business. That is why I think they must be personally benefiting from it financially for them to do an about face.

[Blue_true]

18. I think reality.

Even conservative states voters are approving Medical Marijuana. Next typically come General decriminalization for several years, then legalization. Fighting against weed is a losing battle and even repugs are smart enough to know that.

[Volaris]

28. Yes, but it's not just the THC. The hemp fiber itself is pretty amazing...

I've read George Washington grew it as a cash crop to make rope with (for ship rigging that America's new Navy would need).

Anymore, I'm under the impression that we can make damn plastics from the oil...and it pretty much will grow everywhere you plant it since it's A WEED.

If we invest in this as a technological (Instead of just a pharmacological) base, it potentially could be worth billions to America's farmers.

Not happy it took a GOP Congress to do this, but I'll take it.

[Blue_true]

30. Unfortunately.

The GOP can get away with taking the previously forbidden leapt forward, democrats get hammered when our party does it. Nixon went to China When they were an archenemy of ours, any democratic President that tried that would have been called a traitor and got impeached.

[Volaris]

31. Yeah probably.

I'm wondering if we should start ignoring thise kinds of threats as the impotent raging of an about -to- be- relagated-to-regional-status political party heh

[Blue_true]

32. Yes, we should. Will voters notice and do the right thing. nt

[Volaris]

33. I suspect they will. The more we ignore them and persue what's right,

The more the GOP will be exposed for the criminal cabal they actually are, and when enough people get woke we will win.

[Roland99]

17. Ky is big on hemp. McConnell is from Ky

Surprised it took him this long

Gotta be a financial angle for him

[Blue_true]

19. Kentucky and North Carolina. The stuff grows well there. Good replacement crop for tobacco. nt

[GulfCoast66]

20. There is a Hemphill, KY.

Drove thu there while in university in KY.

[Duppers]

25. Exactly!

Ya nailed it.

[Andy823]

6. And fuel

The basics: Hemp can provide two types of fuel.
1. Hemp biodiesel – made from the oil of the (pressed) hemp seed.
2. Hemp ethanol/methanol – made from the fermented stalk.

[shanti]

7. This makes me happy

Hemp is such a versatile plant. It can replace wood, cotton, and other fibers in so many ways! I had some hemp clothing before. Very pricey, but hemp wears like iron.

Now, they just need to legalize cannabis.

[Blue_true]

15. You are right about the clothing. Had several Hemo shirts for knock around wear.

They were soft, but wore like iron. Kept their color and shape after years of use.

[Dennis Donovan]

8. Somewhere in Hell, William Randolph Hearst and Harry Anslinger are having a collective sad...

I'll smoke to that!

[c-rational]

9. Hemp was a significant crop in the early years of the US and some of the early Presidents grew hemp.

[jcgoldie]

27. ...

[LunaSea]

11. I want a hempmobile.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Hemp Hemp Hooray!!!

It's about time!

[elmac]

21. yes, its a good start and long overdue. nt

[GulfCoast66]

23. I applaud this and hope recreation pot is coming next. However...

As an ag major, hemp very useful but is no wonder plant. It will not be a major fuel provider as biofuels are not competitive with wind and solar. It will not replace cotton as a major fiber crop due to the increased processing needed. At best it will compete against high quality Linen, which admittedly is perhaps even better than wool and both hemp and linen are way superior to cotton. But way more expensive to produce. But like Linen, a high quality shirt or sheets made of it will last a lifetime. But most clothing will still be cotton.

That said it will be a nice addition to the crops of farmers in the Southeast who do not have the advantage of growing huge qualities wheat, barley or other northern grains in a 3 crop in 2 year rotation like in the Midwest or upper south.

[Liberty Belle]

26. But states, counties or cities can still ban it.

I confirmed this today with a spokesman from the hemp industry who pitched me on the story idea.

[a kennedy]

34. BOUT DAMN TIME.......never understood the taboo about hemp....right, it'll be smoked.

ah, ya EVER try to smoke it??? This is pretty good news indeed.....