North Dakota and hemp: Step in the right direction?

[BenGarrett]

Beginning June 15, farmers in North Dakota who pass a criminal background check and obtain a permit from DEA can begin farming hemp. From the studies I've read on hemp, production of the plant could do wonders for reducing the destruction of America's forests. Step in the right direction?

[Canuck_Buck]

any links Ben ?

[Lanse couche couche]

I've heard that this type of hemp is different from marijuana and cannot be smoked. Is that true?

[NCOutdoors]

I think that yeah, we should have been using it long ago. It is apparently one of the most versatile crops known. I don't know anything about smoking it.

[NCOutdoors]

According to cannabus.com, hemp has a very low level of THC and doesn't have intoxicating affects.

[kevin1]

It used to be grown widely in this region before nylon replaced it in WW2 , and no it isn't worth smoking . Hemp produces the strongest natural fiber , produces more pulp for paper acre for acre than trees in a shorter time frame , and also produces an oil from the seeds that is not only edible but can be substituted for petroleum in all applications except making gasoline . It's one of the most versatile plants known to man .

For the law enforcement types: Hemp is grown 6" apart to maximize field yield , not 6-8' apart like the funny stuff . In fact , any "good" weed grown within a mile of it will become hopelessly cross pollinated by it and get ruined , so anyone trying to hide theirs in a hemp field will be sorely disappointed come harvest time .

[Lanse couche couche]

I wonder why someone has to pass a background check to grow hemp, if it can't be smoked or used to hide the growing of the "good stuff."

If my memory serves me correctly, hemp cultivation declined because of synthetics, but itscultivation was also discouraged by the gov't as part of a broader anti-marijuana campaign.

[Tazman]

Before nylon and criminalization of cannibus hemp was the biggest cash crop in WV, it can be grown in a wide variety of soils and climates. Everything said in the posts prior to this are all true from my understanding. Leagalizing the growing of it could be a tremendous boon to the paper industry and to an awful lot of farmers who farm in areas where there are a limited number of crops they can grow for one reason or another.

[Aught Six]

I don't see any reason not to allow cultivation of hemp. As other have said, the fiber is incredibly strong, plus hemp oil has applications as a lubrication among other things (you can even drink it--it has a lot more Omega-3 fatty acids than flax oil). I'll take something natural over something synethetic any day.

As long as there is demand, farmers should be allowed to supply it. Anyone who smokes hemp is going to get one killer headache, nothing more, nothing less.

[burniegoeasily]

Hemp is grown now, just not the THC laiden type. We have had hemp ropes, shirts, etc. for years. You can see hemp growing on the side of the roads in many places, agian, it is so low in THC you could smoke it till you brains fall out and never get high.