Hemp Seed News

[Guest guest]

I saw this on another list I'm on, and although it promotes a

specific organization, thought I'd pass it along to the group. I

just recently discovered hemp seeds and think they're fantastic.

I've also made hemp seed butter at home, which is also absolutely

amazing. Apparently hemp seeds will be more widely available now.

 

Steve

 

Earlier this week marked another very important milestone in the

re-emergence of industrial hemp. The deadline for the Bush

Administration to appeal the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals February

6, 2004 decision in HIA v. DEA protecting the sale and consumption

of hemp food products in the U.S. has expired. It has now been about

three years since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a

rule purporting to ban hemp food products. Hemp foods and body care

products are now unquestionably safe, nutritious -- and legal.

 

Please read on for the full scoop. If you have not yet been inspired

to donate, or even if you have recently donated, please help us take

the next steps towards legal hemp farming in America. We now need to

focus on convincing Congress to clarify the law and recognize

industrial hemp as beneficial and completely legal. Vote Hemp needs

your support to make this happen!

 

Make a donation now at:

http://www.VoteHemp.com/contribute.html

 

 

* Hemp Food Final Victory! *

 

Bush Administration Will Not Appeal to Supreme Court; Legal Limbo

Ends

 

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Bush Administration will not appeal the Ninth

Circuit Court of Appeals February 6, 2004 decision in HIA v. DEA

protecting sale and consumption of hemp food products in the U.S. The

allotted time to appeal to the Supreme Court expired earlier this

week, three years after the DEA issued a rule purporting to ban hemp

food products. " The mandate of the Ninth Circuit is final and their

decision will now be the law of the land, " said Joseph Sandler, lead

attorney for the Hemp Industries Association (HIA).

 

" Removing the cloud the DEA put into the marketplace will spur a

dramatic surge in the supply and consumption of healthy omega-3 rich

hemp seed in America, " says David Bronner, Chair of the HIA's Food

and Oil Committee and President of ALPSNACK/Dr. Bronner's Magic

Soaps.

 

" This is a huge victory for the hemp industry. The Bush

Administration choice not to appeal the Ninth Circuit's decision

from earlier this year means the three-year legal battle over hemp

seed products is finally over. The three-judge panel in the Ninth

Circuit unanimously ruled that the DEA ignored the specific

Congressional exemption in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that

excludes hemp fiber, seed and oil from control along with poppy

seeds. The Court viewed as insignificant and irrelevant harmless

trace amounts of THC in hemp seed, just like harmless trace amounts

of opiates in poppy seeds. "

 

" More and more health foods containing omega-3 rich hemp nut and oil

will be appearing on store shelves since the legal status is no

longer an issue, " says Alexis Baden-Mayer, Director of Government

Affairs for Vote Hemp. " Americans are looking for healthy

alternative sources of omega-3 to supplement their diets due to

concerns regarding trace mercury in fish and fish oil supplements.

Right now the U.S. marketplace is supplied by hemp seed grown and

processed in Canada and Europe. We will now work to convince

Congress it is time for the U.S. to again allow American farmers to

grow industrial hemp and participate in this lucrative growth

market. "

 

Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of Vote Hemp, along with Patrick

Goggin, local counsel for the HIA, expressed anger at the colossal

waste of industry and taxpayer resources consumed in the extended

legal battle over hemp waffles and other healthy hemp foods. " The

industry could have been focused on marketplace promotion and

consumer education rather than flushing over $200,000 down the drain

battling pointless DEA hysteria, " says Steenstra.

 

Hemp Foods are Safe and Nutritious -- DEA Rules Were Ridiculous!

 

Hemp seed is one of the most perfect nutritional resources in all of

nature. In addition to its excellent flavor profile, the seed meat

protein supplies all essential amino acids in an easily digestible

form and with a high protein efficiency ratio. But most importantly,

hemp seed and oil offer high concentrations of essential fatty acids

(EFAs) in a perfect balance of the omega-3/omega-6 acids. EFA's are

the " good fats " that doctors recommend as part of a healthy,

balanced diet. This superior nutritional profile makes hemp nut

(shelled seed) and oil ideal for a wide range of functional food

applications and as an effective fatty acid supplement. Not

surprisingly, hemp nut and oil are increasingly used in natural food

products, such as breads, frozen waffles, cereals, nutrition bars,

pretzels, meatless burgers and salad dressings.

 

Eating Hemp Foods Does Not Interfere with Workplace Drug-Tests

 

U.S. hemp food companies voluntarily observe reasonable THC limits

similar to those adopted by European nations and Canada. These limits

protect consumers with a wide margin of safety from workplace

drug-testing interference (see hemp industry standards regarding

trace THC at http://www.TestPledge.com). The DEA has hypocritically

not targeted food manufacturers for using poppy seeds (in bagels and

muffins, for example) even though they contain far higher levels of

trace opiates. The recently-revived global hemp market is a thriving

commercial success. Unfortunately, because of their paranoia the DEA

has confused non-psychoactive industrial hemp varieties of cannabis

with psychoactive varieties, and thus the U.S. is the only major

industrialized nation to prohibit the growing of industrial hemp.

 

 

* " What Can I Do Now? " *

 

There are two simple ways to help industrial hemp blossom in the

marketplace. Buy hemp! Vote hemp! Helping to get hemp grown in the

United States and hemp products to succeed in the marketplace is

EASY: Educate, Advocate, Support, Youth.

 

Find out more at the link below, and please remember if we all work

together on this important agricultural and economic development

issue it will be EASY.

 

http://www.VoteHemp.com/what.html

 

 

* Vote Hemp this November! *

 

The most important thing to do right now is make sure you are

registered to vote in November -- and then VOTE! We offer easy

online registration on our Web site at the link below, but most

state registration deadlines are coming up soon, so even better if

you go to your local Town or City Clerk's office to register in

person.

 

http://www.VoteHemp.com/register.html

 

Find out more about the candidates' positions on industrial hemp in

our updated Voter Guide and then print out and distribute copies to

your friends and family.

 

http://www.VoteHemp.com/voterguide.html

 

 

* Thanks for Supporting Vote Hemp *

 

After nearly three years of hard work Vote Hemp, the HIA and the hemp

industry have secured a landmark victory against the DEA's attempt to

ban safe, legal hemp food and body care products. If these activists

and entrepreneurs had not fought the DEA in federal court, scores of

small and medium size businesses would have had to discontinue using

hemp seed and oil in their products over two years ago. We hope that

our successful and conclusive efforts in challenging the government's

irrational hemp policy will inspire you to contribute essential

funds so we can propel our work to its next stage -- and see

American farmers growing hemp again through legislative action.

 

100% of your donation goes towards our very important lobbying and

educational work. We are run mostly by a volunteer board with the

help of many other concerned citizens willing to donate their time.

Your valuable contribution will be put to work immediately, helping

to ensure the future place of hemp in our country and lives.

 

Donate online at our Web site, or mail your donation to us at:

Vote Hemp, P.O. Box 862, Bedford, MA 01730.

 

Note that Vote Hemp is a 501c(4) non-profit organization, and

donations are not tax-deductible. If you wish to make a tax-

deductible donation through one of our affiliated foundations to

specifically support our educational work, or would like to set up a

regular monthly donation program, please email

contribute to arrange to do so.

 

As we move towards inevitable hemp farming in this country, the only

major industrialized nation in the world that does not allow hemp

production, an excitement builds because all those informed know

what a boon this amazing plant will become to our country, to

humankind and to the earth.

 

Thanks for all your support and encouragement,

 

 

Vote Hemp Board

 

 

P.S. -- Help us print more educational and promotional materials. We

need your donation today.

 

P.P.S. -- We are just about ready to launch our newly revamped Web

site. Your donation also helps us complete this project, making our

site an even more effective tool to educate, register and mobilize

voters in America.

 

Donate online:

http://www.VoteHemp.com/contribute.html

 

Register to vote:

http://www.VoteHemp.com/register.html

 

Check out our Voter Guide:

http://www.VoteHemp.com/voterguide.html

 

Take action now:

http://www.VoteHemp.com/what.html