With OK from Congress, US hemp market set to boom

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

With OK from Congress, US hemp market set to boom

By GILLIAN FLACCUS
December 13, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Hemp is about to get the nod from the federal government that marijuana, its cannabis plant cousin, craves.

A provision of the farm bill that received final approval in Congress on Wednesday removes hemp from the list of federally controlled substances and treats the low-THC version of the cannabis plant like any other agricultural crop. THC is the cannabis compound that gives pot its high.

President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law next week.

The change sets the stage for greater expansion in an industry already seeing explosive growth because of growing demand for cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp that many see as a way to better health.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/0de07aff0aaa46cbad6c76314d00a3bf

[msongs]

1. cotton lobby is unhappy...and now will try to dominate the hemp industry nt

[shanti]

5. yes

cotton needs to start worrying. can you imagine driving north from LA on I-5 and seeing fields of hemp instead of cotton? it is such a versatile plant. would not be surprised if it was the next bonanza.

[stopwastingmymoney]

6. That would be great

Cotton is extremely pesticide needy. Replacing it all with hemp would be really good for our collective health.

[safeinOhio]

2. Waiting for

GMO hemp.

[Liberty Belle]

3. States, cities and counties can still ban it.

I verified this with a hemp industry spokesperson, since our county, San Diego, has outlawed all hemp growing (though not sales of hemp products).

[socdem60]

4. good news

I'm excited to see what products from hemp we'll make. I want to see biodegradable bags for shopping and even garbage. What a difference it will make for mother earth.