PA: Legalization Of Hemp Advances

Robert Celt

New Member
In a state capitol in the throes of partisan strife and deadlock over a range of fiscal, economic and social issues, it may strike some as strange that legislation to allow cultivation of hemp in Pennsylvania is very close to passage.

But such is the case.

The House and Senate have now both approved bills by unanimous votes to allow limited research-based cultivation of hemp, a cannabis plant, for industrial use in Pennsylvania. The legislation would bring Pennsylvania in line with a new federal law that allows hemp pilot projects at universities and agricultural research facilities.

The House passed a hemp bill last week by a 187-0 vote. The Senate passed a similar bill 49-0 last month.

Now it remains for the two chambers to approve a common bill so it can go to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk. The governor supports the idea. State Agriculture Department officials testified in favor of the legislation at a public hearing almost a year ago.

Rep. Marty Flynn, D-Scranton, is a key co-sponsor of the hemp bill. Flynn said he got some funny reactions last year when he publicly called for a revival of hemp production in Pennsylvania, a crop that flourished in this state since colonial times but went into decline during the 1950s after federal law made it illegal to grown any cannabis plant varieties.

But Flynn said the bills got widespread support in Harrisburg once lawmakers became aware of hemp's economic benefits.

Hemp is used in thousands of products ranging from cement to air brakes and paints, he said. The crop is easy to grow and doesn't deplete the soil of nutrients.

"I'm just excited to see the potential for industrial use there," Flynn added.

Helping hemp's new acceptance is the awareness that it differs greatly from marijuana, another cannabis plant, in its level of THC, the substance that produces a high for marijuana smokers. Hemp has less than 0.3 percent of THC, compared with the 5 percent to 20 percent THC content of recreational marijuana.

CRIZ movement

The fact that the city of Scranton isn't eligible to even participate in a state urban development program known as City Revitalization and Improvement Zones is a sore point for lawmakers representing Lackawanna County.

Scranton was shut out of the 2013 state law establishing the CRIZ program because it's the only city of the second class A in Pennsylvania. The law allows cities of the third class with a population of at least 30,000 and boroughs or townships with a population of at least 7,000 to apply for zone designations. Cities can use state taxes and some local taxes to underwrite their own bonds to fund development projects in CRIZ zones.

Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, testified at a House committee hearing this week on her bill to make Scranton eligible to apply for a zone.

"I believe there is little difference between Scranton and other similarly sized cities with regard to the issues and problems they face in attracting development and economic activity, and it does not make sense to exclude them from this program," Boback said.

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News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: PA: Legalization Of Hemp Advances
Author: Robert Swift
Photo Credit: Dylan Lovan
Website: Citizens Voice
 
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