Federal Judge Daniel Hovland has dismissed the case brought by two North Dakota farmers who want to grow industrial hemp in that state. In his decision, the judge said the issue needs to be addressed in Congress rather than in the courts.
State licensed farmers David Monson and Wayne Hauge filed the lawsuit in June, hoping to end the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) ban on commercial hemp farming in America. Lawyers for the farmers, according to a release from Vote Hemp, are considering an appeal on a number of issues, especially since the court ruled that any hemp was marijuana, as claimed by the DEA.
Scientific evidence has shown that industrial hemp will produce no psychoactive effects if ingested. DEA lawyers stated during the court hearing earlier this month that if the plant contains THC in any level, no matter how minute, it is marijuana, and hence illegal to grow. That, they said, is the way the law is written, and Judge Hovland agreed with the DEA’s position.
The DEA has, according to Vote Hemp, sent a “Memorandum of Agreement” to North Dakota State University (NDSU) which would, if signed by the school, allow them to grow industrial hemp
for research purposes. NDSU originally requested permission to study hemp eight years ago, but never heard from the feds.
So again, the DEA wins and American farmers, business and the public will have to buy hemp products from foreign sources. A bill has been introduced in Congress, defining industrial hemp and taking it out of the “drug” category. However, it is still in committee with no known hope of advancement to the floor before the next Congress convenes in 2009. Then, the process will have to start all over again.
Max Lindberg
My home state is Illinois, and my hometown a little railroad/farming community named Galesburg.We lived on a small farm during my high school years and I became very aware of nature and it's wonders. I loved the out of doors, working with animals, plowing fields and harvesting crops. Those were very good years.After a stint in the Army during the Korean war my broadcasting career took off at the local radio station, a 250 watt "teapot" as it was called in those days. My first job was as an engineer, then the ham came out and I became an announcer/newsman, graduating after several years to a larger market and a stint as a TV journalist/photographer. Cold, wet weather led me to the southwest where I've lived for most of the last 40 years, with a couple of years out to have fun working as a private investigator in San Francisco, and a few years working in Las Vegas hotels and casinos. In all, its been a real ride.After retiring a few years back I became fascinated with the efforts being made to find alternative energy sources. I've watched our environment deteriorate during my lifetime, and now it's my chance to join the chorus of intelligent and caring individuals making a difference one day at a time.