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2005 Ron Paul Chapter 70
Ron Paul’s Congressional website
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Congressional Record [.PDF]
HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS
BEFORE THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 22, 2005
Introduction of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act
2005 Ron Paul 70:1
Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The
Industrial
Hemp Farming Act requires the federal government to respect state laws
allowing
the growing of industrial hemp.
2005 Ron Paul 70:2
Six states-Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and West
Virginia-allow
the growing of industrial hemp in accord with state laws. However,
federal law
is standing in the way of farmers in these states growing what may be a
very
profitable crop. Because of current federal law, all hemp included in
products
sold in the United States must be imported instead of being grown by
American
farmers.
2005 Ron Paul 70:3
Since 1970, the federal Controlled Substances Act’s inclusion of industrial
hemp in
the Schedule One definition of marijuana has prohibited American
farmers from
growing industrial hemp, despite the fact that industrial hemp has such
a low
content of THC (the psychoactive chemical in the related marijuana
plant) that
nobody can be psychologically affected by consuming hemp. Federal law
concedes
the safety of industrial hemp by allowing it to be legally imported for
use as
food.
2005 Ron Paul 70:4
The United States is the only industrialized nation that prohibits
industrial hemp
cultivation. The Congressional Research Service has noted that hemp is
grown as
an established agricultural commodity in over 30 nations in Europe,
Asia, and
North America. My Industrial Hemp Farming Act will end this nonsensical
restriction on American farmers and allow them to grow industrial hemp
in
accordance with state law.
2005 Ron Paul 70:5
Industrial hemp is a crop that was grown legally throughout the United States for
most of
our history. In fact, during World War II the federal government
actively
encouraged American farmers to grow industrial hemp to help the war
effort.
The Department of Agriculture even produced a film, “Hemp for
Victory,” encouraging the plant’s cultivation.
2005 Ron Paul 70:6
In recent years, the hemp plant has been put to many popular uses in foods
and in
industry. Grocery stores sell hemp seeds and oil, as well as food
products
containing oil and seeds from the hemp plant. Industrial hemp also is
included
in consumer products such as paper, cloth, cosmetics, and carpet. One
of the
more innovative recent uses of industrial hemp is in the door frames of
about
1.5 million cars.
Hemp even has
been used in alternative automobile fuel.
2005 Ron Paul 70:7
It is unfortunate that the federal government has stood in the way of
American
farmers, including many who are struggling to make ends meet, competing
in the
global industrial hemp market. Indeed the founders of our nation, some
of who
grew hemp, surely would find that federal restrictions on farmers
growing a safe
and profitable crop on their own land are inconsistent with the
constitutional
guarantee of a limited, restrained federal government. Therefore, I
urge my
colleagues to stand up for American farmers and cosponsor the
Industrial Hemp
Farming Act.
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