Jacob Bell
New Member
Freeport, Ill. –This week Illinois lawmakers voted, 28-82, to reject House Bill 1383, which would have allowed Illinois farmers to obtain permits to grow and produce industrial hemp.
The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pec), and was also supported by the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Not to be confused with cannabis as both come from the same plant, industrial hemp is grown to maximize the fiber content, not the THC level, which means it will not get smokers high. It is grown in tighter rows and harvested much earlier.
It is a valuable crop and can be used to produce a number of products.
"We are importing close to $30 billion of products that we use every single day; clothing, lotions, hair products, physical products with simple fibers," Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (D-Chicago), the bill's sponsor, said.
Dunkin said the bill would have allowed the state to take a financial advantage of a growing market.
And we agree.
Farming is an important part of Illinois, and this bill seemed like a great opportunity to spark a boom in an existing industry. It would have also created a number of opportunities for manufacturing.
Those against the bill argued that it would be difficult for law enforcement to distinguish between hemp and illegal marijuana. And some also argued that the point was "moot" since only the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has the power to issue licenses to grow hemp.
While a handful of states have enacted similar legislation to allow farmers to grow industrial hemp, farmers still need a permit from the federal government.
But in a struggling economy with record unemployment numbers, maybe it is time to push the envelope a little. This was a chance for Illinois lawmakers to let the people know that boosting industry and creating jobs are at the top of the priority list.
Maybe it is time to acknowledge that the stigma of "hemp" is far less important than the reality of the Illinois economy.
News Hawk- Jacob Husky 420 MAGAZINE
Source: journalstandard.com
Author: The Journal-Standard
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: GateHouse Media, Inc
Website: OUR VIEW: House wrong to reject industrial hemp bill
The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pec), and was also supported by the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Not to be confused with cannabis as both come from the same plant, industrial hemp is grown to maximize the fiber content, not the THC level, which means it will not get smokers high. It is grown in tighter rows and harvested much earlier.
It is a valuable crop and can be used to produce a number of products.
"We are importing close to $30 billion of products that we use every single day; clothing, lotions, hair products, physical products with simple fibers," Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (D-Chicago), the bill's sponsor, said.
Dunkin said the bill would have allowed the state to take a financial advantage of a growing market.
And we agree.
Farming is an important part of Illinois, and this bill seemed like a great opportunity to spark a boom in an existing industry. It would have also created a number of opportunities for manufacturing.
Those against the bill argued that it would be difficult for law enforcement to distinguish between hemp and illegal marijuana. And some also argued that the point was "moot" since only the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has the power to issue licenses to grow hemp.
While a handful of states have enacted similar legislation to allow farmers to grow industrial hemp, farmers still need a permit from the federal government.
But in a struggling economy with record unemployment numbers, maybe it is time to push the envelope a little. This was a chance for Illinois lawmakers to let the people know that boosting industry and creating jobs are at the top of the priority list.
Maybe it is time to acknowledge that the stigma of "hemp" is far less important than the reality of the Illinois economy.
News Hawk- Jacob Husky 420 MAGAZINE
Source: journalstandard.com
Author: The Journal-Standard
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: GateHouse Media, Inc
Website: OUR VIEW: House wrong to reject industrial hemp bill
