| 3.23.22

Should You Be Able To Grow Pot — As Long As It's For Industrial Hemp? (H.R. 525)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 525?

(Updated November 2, 2017)

This bill seeks to allow the growing of cannabis plants for hemp — a material that can be refined into things like bird seed, oil, wax, resin, rope, clothing, paper, and fuel.

The creation of hemp would be protected in this bill by distinguishing that “marihuana,” the wonderfully archaic spelling that appears in the Controlled Substances Act, does not include industrial hemp. It then goes on to define industrial hemp as any part of the Cannabis Sativa L. plant.

The bill also limits the THC concentration in industrial hemp to .3% of its dry weight. The bill makes clear however, that any pot plant growing must be in compliance with State law.

Argument in favor

Hemp is a versatile plant that can be used to make everything from clothes to ropes to paper. We shouldn’t ban use of this plant just because some people are worried that somebody will smoke it.

Argument opposed

Marijuana is a dangerous drug and hemp is related to marijuana. Despite the restrictions that this bill has put in place, it would be easy for hemp growers to keep and hide marijuana. This is asking for a black market to occur.

Impact

People who grow cannabis plants, industrial hemp growers, people with land interested in the growing game, law enforcement, the paper and textile industries.

Cost of H.R. 525

A CBO cost estimate for is unavailable.

Additional Info

In Depth:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who is, like sponsoring Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky — has been a big backer of hemp in recent years. Last year, the DEA blocked a shipment of hemp (250 lbs of hemp seeds to be exact) into the Kentucky. Though it was legal in Kentucky at the time, they said it didn’t have proper import permits. McConnell interceded on the seeds’ behalf.

The hemp crusaders in Congress might just be taking after the founding fathers — George Washington did indeed grow hemp.

Of Note:

Hemp is currently legal in 19 states, Massie and McConnell’s Kentucky included. According to VoteHemp, around $43.5 million in hemp foodstuffs are sold in the U.S. annually.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol—THC in the common parlance—is a psychoactive compound found on pot that gives users a high. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most pot has a concentration of about 15 percent. Suffice to say, no one would get high off smoking this cannabis.

Though this bill legalizes hemp production, it does nothing for marijuana. That’s still illegal under federal law.