CA Assembly Committee OKs Hemp Bill

(The Committee passed the bill on a party-line vote, Dems in favor
(Leno, Hancock, Goldberg, Cohn) and Reps (La Suer, Spitzer) against.)

Source: Fresno Bee (http://www.fresnobee.com/)

Assembly committee OKs bill letting farmers grow hemp
The Associated Press

(Updated Wednesday, January 11, 2006, 1:41 PM)

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Legislation that would allow California farmers to grow
industrial hemp, a distant cousin of marijuana that can be used in making
myriad products, has been approved by a state Assembly committee.

The measure by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, cleared the Public
Safety Committee on Tuesday night, 4-2, and was sent to the Appropriations
Committee, the last stop before the full Assembly.

Hemp is imported to the United States from Canada and other countries and
can be used to make clothing, cosmetics, food, paper, rope, jewelry,
luggage, sports equipment, toys and a variety of other products.

But hemp can't be legally grown in the United States without a federal
Drug Enforcement Administration permit that often is difficult to obtain.
Hemp contains a trace of tetrahydrocannabinols, or THC, the drug in
marijuana.

Leno's bill would allow California farmers to grow hemp to sell to
California manufacturers of hemp products, a limit the bill's supporters
hope will avoid legal challenges to the legislation under the U.S.
Constitution's interstate commerce clause.

Leno said the bill provides a "great opportunity to assist family farmers."

"California can import the entire plant to manufacture thousands of
products, so manufacturers are benefiting from current law, the
environment benefits, retailers benefit, consumers benefit," he said. "The
only one losing out is the California farmer."
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