Obama says no to marijuana legalization

[bugs]

Communism certainly was a failed experiment!
I do have to say, that over the years I've softened my stand against -GASP- a degree of socialism. I've seen too many good people, good families, hard workers, go down as a result of illness, or the unbridled greed of corporations.
Of course, there are a hell of a lot of abusers of the system. Seen a lot of them, too.
I guess I've come to the point where I don't like excesses in either direction; the sink or swim mentality of pure capitalism, which rewards only the talent for acquiring wealth, or the coddling and repression of far-left socialism, which removes all rewards for hard work.
What I do believe is that while self-sufficiency is a necessary and desirable goal, we're all connected. When one falls, through circumstance, it diminishes us all a little.
From a purely pragmatic point of view, I believe it's in the national interest to:
Provide education for all, regardless of income, as long as the desire and ability are there. Make the tools of success accessible to those who care to learn to use them.
Make decent health care, likewise, available to all. You can't make a living if you're too sick to work.
Provide a safety net so that when real misfortune strikes, the victim -and the family, in particular -are not destroyed.
That's no to say that we should have a fucking nanny state that overlooks bullshit behavior because the perp had an unhappy childhood.. And No Fucking Freedom From Being Offended! Fuckin A, that offends the living shit out of me. The dark side of liberalism.
Nor should we punish unpopular personal behavior (that doesn't detract from others). Like smokin' weed. Prohibition of this type is un-American. It strikes at the roots of our nation.
If the new prez really meant what he said, that he's going to pay attention to, rather than suppress, good science, then maybe we have a chance.

[I_am_me]

Hell, even with what I've said, I'm not really optimistic.

I like Obama and agree with him on most social issues. Thats why he got my vote. Small things that I favor over the Republican's stance. I feel like thats pretty much most of whats REALLY up to the President any, to push social agenda's of the left or right. All the serious crazy shit either happens in Congress or behind closed doors. Sure he has veto power but there are checks and balances throughout our whole government. There is a huge hype around the Presidency but I think people have it wrong. People often see the President as the man behind the curtains but I think hes the "wizard" with a whole set of people behind the curtains. Obviously this has been talked about before but I don't get to heavy on the conspiracy theory side of it. I just feel like the power if the President is often overblown. It is nice to have such a good communicator though. I like a good reach around while being fucked if it has to happen.

[M&M420]

So you think obama is a wizard ?Lol I'm just messin with ya.Yeah I totally agree with ya man.Just false hope but at least there is hope in the first place.People do get a little out of hand with it at times.I've seen a whole shit load of people make him out to be like the catalyst to armageddon or something.He's definantly not walking a straight path but as you said at least he isn't a complete moron and can talk a halfway decent talk.Huge improvement from our last president IMHO

[I_am_me]

LOL Nice one!

I can't help but like Obama. Then again I'm a huge liberal with a chip on his should at times. I'm easy to pander to. Its nice to see some people hopeful though. I just hope that when their government doesn't solve all of their problems for them that they'll still use that energy to help themselves. If that happens, I think regardless of policies, that will be his biggest contribution as President.

[warriorsoul]

Posted: March 27, 2009 1743 GMT


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...er-obama-snub/





WASHINGTON (CNN) – Marijuana backers aren’t laughing about President Obama’s flippant dismissal of a pot-related question during Thursday’s online town hall meeting — and the country’s leading marijuana advocacy group, The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, has seen its donations quadruple over the last 24 hours.
Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML, told CNN “our donation boxes started to flood” after Obama laughed off a Web question about whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation. St. Pierre said traffic to the group’s Web site has “increased precipitously” since Thursday.
“About half of the donation comments have a reference to Mr. Obama’s comments,” St. Pierre said. “As far as I’m concerned, he could show up every single day and rag on marijuana.”
Watch the president’s pot-related comments

Admittedly, the group isn’t a fundraising juggernaut: NORML averages about $900 in donations daily, a total that jumped to $3,500 in the 24 hours since Obama joked about pot at the town hall.
But St. Pierre said the anger among marijuana legalization advocates is real.
“Many of them were profoundly disappointed because many of them with great enthusiasm supported Obama from the point of his announcement to when he became president,” he said.

St. Pierre acknowledged that marijuana legalization is “by no means at the top of national concerns” like two wars and a troubled economy. However, he said the online question was a serious one, arguing that marijuana legalization would help law enforcement officials cut costs. He also said a legal marijuana industry, like tobacco and alcohol, would create billions in tax revenue for the government.
St. Pierre believes the president and his attorney general, Eric Holder, will be friendlier to marijuana advocates than the previous administration, but he said he knows the topic remains “political dynamite” for any elected official.
“Obama does not want to be dragged down and become the point of cultural jokes and cultural digs because he is giving deference to a subject matter to that this date has been thought of as less than serious,” he said of the president’s town hall answer. “However, I think what he is probably going to find out, through his handlers, is that he really, really disappointed people in a way that he maybe has never done as politician.”

Posted by: CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

[bugs]

Seeing that legalization is pretty high on the heap in domestic concerns, yeah, if he continues to blow it off there could be repercussions. Should be. Disillusionment's a bitch.
The political dynamite has become more of a firecracker, I hope. And our side may hold some political fireworks, too.
It seems that the gag is coming off legalization advocates. It's no longer political suicide to talk about changing the rules. There's less of the feeling that speaking out against pot prohibition will lead to being investigated, harassed and railroaded.
With the internet distributing the documented truth, people's real opinions coming to light, and an internet-savvy administration, we do have a pretty good shot for the first time in many decades.
The prohibitionist weirdos and wackos are slowly being exposed as the ignorant assholes that they are.

[chlorello]

As I understand it, the Obama admin. has decided not to enforce federal marijuana laws in those states in which the state laws are less restrictive than the federal laws. Doesn't that add up to totally leaving cannabis laws up the states' discretion? In other words, if a state leagalized pot, would the federal government refrain from enforcing federal marijuana laws inside that state?

[Jordan86]

It's not legal, it's unenforced. It's unenforced until the next president takes over or it becomes politically advantageous to start enforcing it.

[Jordan86]

Pro-pot people don't really have much of a choice, because obama was still the most pot friendly out of all the top candidates. I don't consider Ron Paul being really a top candidate. I don't see the GOP nominating someone in favor of legalizing pot ever. Though really they should, because republicans value small government over large government. They don't want to abandon their moral conservatives and christian fundamentalists though.

[chlorello]

Originally Posted by Jordan86

It's not legal, it's unenforced. It's unenforced until the next president takes over or it becomes politically advantageous to start enforcing it.

I would think that once states liberalize their marijuana laws, encouraged by the federal governments hands-off policy, (as some are considering doing now), then the political costs to the Feds of a returning to a stricter enforcement will climb up pretty high. Might not this be the beginning of the end of federal marijuana prohibition?

[~Hippie3]

don't hold yer breath,
it's obama's sworn duty to uphold the laws of the USA-
willful negligence will surely bring on a slew of lawsuits.

[~Hippie3]

well hang the man for being honest why don't you.
he told the truth
and yer pissed because
you can't handle the truth.
growing pot would not save the economy,
that's just a sad joke, a literal pipe dream.

[joystik]

If the U.S. happen to legalize pot. Soon, the rest of the world will follow. So I believe this is an issue of worldwide importance. Im crossing my fingers.(but not holding my breath)

JoY!

[roc]

Cough, cough, cough, shit I can't hold it!

[ShroomGuy]

Originally Posted by roc

Cough, cough, cough, shit I can't hold it!

Yup, Same here.

[chlorello]

Originally Posted by Hippie3

don't hold yer breath,
it's obama's sworn duty to uphold the laws of the USA-
willful negligence will surely bring on a slew of lawsuits.

I'm not so sure. The US Attorney General Eric Holder said recently to journalists regarding marijuana law enforcement, "The policy is to go after those people who violate both federal and state law".

If that's really the policy, (and E. Holder should know), then the feds are effectively allowing states to set whatever marijuana laws they wish. This could be a huge encouragement to states that would like to liberalize medical use laws but have refrained up till now to avoid running afoul of the federal government. Maybe the A.G. will "clairfy" that statement later, and it will all come to nothing. But if the Obama policy really is to be what Holder indicates it is, then a huge roadblock to legalization has been, at least temporarily, removed.

[golly]

When Jimmy Carter was Pres , it looked like things were really going to ease with Pot
laws - and they did for his term..
The pendulum swung way back with the new admin ..
Of course, back then the medical argument was not nearly as established as today..

Weed is beneficial in rough economic times..It returns us to our primal spiritual selves..A port in the storm...heh

[~Hippie3]

Originally Posted by chlorello

I'm not so sure. The US Attorney General Eric Holder said recently to journalists regarding marijuana law enforcement, "The policy is to go after those people who violate both federal and state law".

If that's really the policy, (and E. Holder should know), then the feds are effectively allowing states to set whatever marijuana laws they wish. This could be a huge encouragement to states that would like to liberalize medical use laws but have refrained up till now to avoid running afoul of the federal government. Maybe the A.G. will "clairfy" that statement later, and it will all come to nothing. But if the Obama policy really is to be what Holder indicates it is, then a huge roadblock to legalization has been, at least temporarily, removed.

the AG works for the president,
he lacks the authority
to dismiss current laws.

watch for the lawsuits,
it will be the judges who get the final say-
unless congress changes the law.

the president just is not central to the process,
it's legislative and judicial branch jurisdiction.

[kodiak]

Originally Posted by roc

Sorry to disagree but hemp fiber production would allow dryland farmers to stop growing cotton and produce a much superior product. No chemicals, less water, and the seed oil could run all the equipment.

only in fairy tale land
can you name one country that is relying on hemp production, if hemp is everything you are claiming it is then prove it

maybe Willy Wonka would be interested in this revolutionary hemp technology of which you speak

[kodiak]

realistically, I can see marijuana being legalized because of its medicinal properties, before its commercial value.
I think that those that argue for the legalization of marijuana are really motivated by the desire to grow it for the buds.
Who the f wants to grow a hemp plant? We need it legalized so we can smoke it, not wear it

i think i just had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity, you are all my witnesses

i just watched the video, why are they laughing ?

[warriorsoul]

Hemp won't save our economy, but it can provide income for many good, hardworking people. We import hemp from over 30 industrialized countries and lead the world in the importation of hemp, it would make a great deal of sense to start producing it ourselves.

The UK have doubled production capacity from last year.
Canada legalized hemp-growing in 1998, and 60 percent of what Canadian farmers grow is imported to the United States.
I could go on, but all you really have to do is read the news.
Clothing of all kinds is made from hemp. There are products such as jewelry, shoes, paper, rope and, from the seeds, body and cooking oils. As we develop a cellulose-based ethanol industry, hemp has more cellulose content than most plants and its the second fasted growing biomass on the planet next to bamboo.

There are even 100 percent biodegradable plastics made from hemp. If you play Frisbee golf you may have been tossing the hemp around. Ford, GM, Chrysler, Saturn, BMW, Honda and Mercedes use hemp composite door panels, trunks, head liners and other parts in their vehicles. An Australian company uses a hemp plastic resin to make musical instruments and furniture. It's not new; Henry Ford long ago demonstrated that car doors and fenders made with hemp and sisal cellulose plastic were strong, dependable car parts.
Hemp is even used in brewing one of our favorite beverages. The Frederick Brewing Company in Maryland produces Hempen Ale, brown ale made with hemp seeds that, according to the label, give it a "creamy head" and "mellow herbal flavors and aromas."

Maybe it's just a pipe dream, but I can see the green hemp fields waving in the breeze, the sun shining down as people work the fields. I see textile manufacturing. I see oils squeezed from the seeds. I see industrial plastics. All of it comes from a ubiquitous weed that practically grows itself.
Kodiak, In "Willy Wonka Land", hemp is the golden ticket.


Mar 19, 2009 - By Barney DuBois, BiobasedNews.com


Submitted by Barney DuBois



Although it technically is not “illegal” to grow industrial hemp, a DEA permit is required to do so, and none has ever been granted. The result is that over 30 industrial nations (among them Canada, France, England, Germany and China) now grow and process hemp for export to the U.S., which remains the largest market – consumer and industrial – for raw hemp on earth.
And for good reason! The growth and use of hemp is as important to American history as, well, the Declaration of Independence – which was written on hemp paper. Or Levi’s jeans, originally made with hemp fiber. Or from the very beginning, say the Jamestown or Plymouth Rock colonies, where it was illegal NOT to grow hemp!
Pressure to re-legalize the growth of industrial hemp in America has been swelling for at least a decade. Eight states – Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia – already have removed the barriers to production and research on hemp. Many of these, plus several others – including Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, California, South Carolina, and Wisconsin – have new legislation pending this spring that would push further the drive to full production. At least 28 states have had or plan to have some legislative action. You can track most of these efforts at http://www.votehemp.com.
Some of the newest legislation – in North Dakota for example – goes so far as to provide state licenses to hemp growers and to petition the DEA to back off and to allow the regulation of hemp under state law – as opposed to federal police action! This provincial revolt is echoed by farmers in other states – notably Vermont, Minnesota and Kentucky – who in recent weeks have swarmed local and state meeting halls with a sense that change at last is in the air.
If enough farm states join the already healthy industrial hemp lobby in Washington, change might be possible for the first time in 50 years. The result so far, however, is that nobody can yet grow hemp for commercial use, and the country remains culturally blinded to the difference between it and marijuana.
Both plants are classified as cannabis sativa, a species with hundreds of varieties. The two look somewhat alike to the untrained eye, and it is actually possible for them to cross-pollinate, but they have evolved on totally separate paths for the last 12,000 years and can be differentiated easily by the trained eye – or on-the-spot testing.
Hemp – one of the first crops domesticated by man – is many times larger and is bred for fiber, seed and oil. Marijuana is smaller and bred solely to maximize the enzyme THC, which is present in hemp only in microscopic quantities. A hippie would have to smoke an entire field to maybe even get a little buzz!
The arguments for allowing industrial hemp cultivation under state supervision are becoming larger every year – from many perspectives. For one thing, the crop is hearty and can be grown in just about any soil or weather condition. For another, hemp is biologically superior to almost any other crop – including soybeans (which produce less digestible protein than hemp) and corn (which produces less biofuel energy per acre than hemp). The potential economic impact goes without saying.
Even more importantly, hemp is among the fastest-growing biomasses, 100% usable, and renewable in an almost limitless number of applications. At least 25,000 products can be made from hemp, including many that now rely on petrochemicals. And, the fact that hemp has been omitted entirely from the incredible advances by U.S. agri-science for the past half-century makes its future appear virtually limitless to some in the industry.
Stay tuned. With the current economic meltdown and obvious political shift to support renewable, sustainable resources, hemp seems like a no-brainer.
But don’t get your seeds out of storage, yet. You could still get busted!
Barney DuBois can be reached at bdubois@biobasednews.com.

[kodiak]

first, you sound like a salesman
second,
If Mr.Wonka started to grow hemp to power his factory, sooner or later the Oompa Loompas will start getting high, and fuck things up... undermining sons of bitches they are

golden ticket? more like trojan horse

for the love of jesus mary and joseph i am tired of hearing about marijuana/hemp as if it is some sort of new invention or discovery, the cure all for the new millenia

Marijuana: the handy dandy little elixer

[roc]

Originally Posted by kodiak

first, you sound like a salesman
second,
If Mr.Wonka started to grow hemp to power his factory, sooner or later the Oompa Loompas will start getting high, and fuck things up... undermining sons of bitches they are

golden ticket? more like trojan horse

for the love of jesus mary and joseph i am tired of hearing about marijuana/hemp as if it is some sort of new invention or discovery, the cure all for the new millenia

Marijuana: the handy dandy little elixer

You have an attitude... you must be young and grew up in a city. Do you know where your food and clothing come from? Have you ever been outside your country?
You are not worth my time...

http://www.hashmuseum.com/

[Umbo]

Well put Roc.

[Vague Blur]

As long as the federal gov isn't coming down on people operating above board in states where it is legal I'm happy. Obviously it would be best if we could legalize it nationwide but its just not a political win at the federal level. Let those states which do legalize it benefit from the social and economic boons marijuana can bring. Why? Cause we dirty fuckin' hippies are right. And once the general populace realizes society won't crumble from the legalization of marijuana, and in fact the world will be a better place, restrictions will continue to relax. I for one, am optimistic.

[golly]

Hemp could be huge as a sustainable large scale industry as every part of the plant is useful..With the new Tek, hemp fiber can be made as soft as any cotton at a fraction of the price..Monsanto makes huge profits from all the chems required to produce cotton
so it's a tough sell for them..
Only down side is you would have to protect your high grade pot from pollination by the ditch weed growing all around..

[Jordan86]

Hemp was supposed to be the first billion dollar crop. I don't think an end of the prohibition against cannabis will fix the economy all by itself. There is a lot of problems with the economy. To fix the economy, you probably should fix whatever made the economy tank in the first place. Ending prohibition against cannabis however, will generate and save in the billions of dollars. The revenue that would be generated by allowing industrial hemp and the sale of recreational marijuana would be nothing to snuff at. There would be definite economic benefits, and right now, we should not be passing up economic opportunities.

[roc]

Originally Posted by Vague Blur

As long as the federal gov isn't coming down on people operating above board in states where it is legal I'm happy. Obviously it would be best if we could legalize it nationwide but its just not a political win at the federal level. Let those states which do legalize it benefit from the social and economic boons marijuana can bring. Why? Cause we dirty fuckin' hippies are right. And once the general populace realizes society won't crumble from the legalization of marijuana, and in fact the world will be a better place, restrictions will continue to relax. I for one, am optimistic.

Optimistic is the key my friend...

[~Hippie3]

Originally Posted by Jordan86

Hemp was supposed to be the first billion dollar crop. I don't think an end of the prohibition against cannabis will fix the economy all by itself. There is a lot of problems with the economy. To fix the economy, you probably should fix whatever made the economy tank in the first place. Ending prohibition against cannabis however, will generate and save in the billions of dollars. The revenue that would be generated by allowing industrial hemp and the sale of recreational marijuana would be nothing to snuff at. There would be definite economic benefits, and right now, we should not be passing up economic opportunities.

am i the only person aware of the fact that the USA signed an international treaty
with over 100 other nations
that makes it illegal for the USA to sell cannabis ??
prohibition does not stop at the ocean's shore,
it is part of international law.
the USA would have to formally break its' treaty obligations
opening the floodgates to other nations
and other drugs.

[roc]

People - we need to remember we are discussing two very different things here when we talk industrial hemp and marijuana!

Industrial hemp should be allowed for our agricultural community to add to it's crops.

Medical marijuana is a whole other subject and we should not get the two confused.

[~Hippie3]

since even industrial hemp has detectable amounts of THC
it's still covered, regulated by the Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs

regulations on the cannabis plant – as well as the opium poppy, the coca bush, poppy straw and cannabis leaves – were embedded in the text of the treaty, making it impossible to deregulate them through the normal Scheduling process

[warriorsoul]

Article 28 specifically excludes industrial hemp from these regulations.

[~Hippie3]

not exactly,
the legal aspects require utmost regulation and certifications that
are virtually impossible to comply with on any large-scale operation.
in the USA there are many stands of wild hemp,
the pollen of which would cross into industrial hemp fields
gradually increasing the THC levels beyond the allowable levels.
besides,
if the other nations see the USA back away from treaty obligations
i don't think they would hesitate to join in,
and frankly places like mexico could undercut the american industry
by virtue of their milder climate.

[warriorsoul]

Many other nations that have signed that treaty, are growing hemp.

Its mostly because of our own DEA that it is so hard to grow hemp here.
It is theoretically legal to grow hemp in the U.S
America is also the reason that cannabis is a schedule IV, the same as heroin.

The fact that Mexico doesnt grow hemp has more to do with U.S pressure than international law, hemp was banned in the U.S. along with marijuana by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Harry J. Anslinger (Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner) testified in hearings on the subject that the hemp plant needed to be banned because it had a violent "effect on the degenerate races".

[~Hippie3]

Many other nations that have signed that treaty, are growing hemp.

ok,
so why aren't these nations that are growing hemp
rolling in the dough ??
growing hemp did not solve their problems
so how do you figure
it will solve ours ?

[NismoC]

I think if we started printing our money on hemp--

and quit printing billions and billions of dollars of money every year that costs us billions more dollars than the printed money's worth itself, in printing that money; along with eliminating some of the older bills in circulation... you know, making the feds less fucking irresposible with money

that would solve a lot.

[~Hippie3]

printing billions and billions of dollars of money every year that costs us billions more dollars than the printed money's worth itself

that's pure crap,
they can print millions for mere pennies

[NismoC]

no sir. I'm trying to find the link. Last year they spent nearly 3 billion more dollars than the actual amount of nickels they printed. I saw it firsthand on the world news. as I said trying to find the link...

[~Hippie3]

amount of nickels they printed

nickles are not made of paper good buddy...
one does not 'print nickles'.
wtf .

[NismoC]

http://www.dig4coins.com/news/latest...es-and-nickels

here's one similar link, still lookin for the other. not billions that was a hyperbole, but millions definitely.

it costs the government 1.67 cents to produce a penny and 9.53 cents to produce a nickel as of figures from the mint march 2008.

[NismoC]

you're right hippie about printing nickels--minted should be the word. I guess that has nothing to do with printing money at all lmao. I'm higher than I thought.

but eliminating some of these types of errors in the government is how our financial problems can be helped don't you think?

[~Hippie3]

coins are a waste of money
but hemp won't solve that.
sure,
much waste in government
but i doubt it's enough to
off-set errors of judgment,
and outright theft.

[lionelfire]

Originally Posted by roc

People - we need to remember we are discussing two very different things here when we talk industrial hemp and marijuana!

Industrial hemp should be allowed for our agricultural community to add to it's crops.

Medical marijuana is a whole other subject and we should not get the two confused.

I'd like to add some research I've done on this topic:

Both industrial hemp and marijuana are classified as genus: Cannibis and species :Sativa, but according too David West in the article, "Hemp and Marijuana: Myths and Realities." (NAIHC,27 Feb 1998) they are biochemically different. THC(delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are found in both plants. The difference between the plants is the amount of each chemical contained in the plant. Marijuana, biochemically, has a higher concentration of THC to CBD. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis Sativa that deems it necessary to regulate. CBD is an anti-psychoactive found in Cannabis Sativa that counteracts the effects of THC. In essence, More THC to CBD= Marijuana, can get high: More CBD to THC= Hemp, Can't get high.

It is my belief that it is law enforcement's reluctance to distinquish between these two plants that keeps the American people from, at least, beginning to start a realization of the benefits of industrial hemp. In fact, Barry McCaffrey, formerly of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy stated the reason he countinually supported the criminilization of industrial hemp is because he doesn't consider it an economical crop to cultivate.

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "That government is best which governs least."

What would Thoreau think of a government that outlaws a crop based on its economic viability?

[warriorsoul]

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-284.html

The legitimate use of hemp for non-intoxicant purposes has been inhibited by the continuing war against drug abuse.
The hemp industry in North America is still very much in its infancy, i remember not to long ago you would have hard time finding hemp products for sale in the U.S.
As company's start to invest more in hemp the market will continue to grow, demand has been limited by processing technology and new and developing end markets. This is changing very quickly.
The company Hemcore (UK) for example, plans on doubling production this year, because of technology advances in processing the raw hemp.

[~Hippie3]

plans on doubling production this year

sounds impressive
but unless one knows
what last year's was
'doubling' might not be significant.
if last year i only grew one plant
and this year i grew two
well i doubled my production.
but how significant is a one plant difference really ?
ditto for this case-
maybe last year they planted 100 acres,
and this year it's 200.
so they doubled production
but that's not significant
on an international industrial scale.

[warriorsoul]

50,000 tonnes per year throughput.
“This is a quantum leap forward in terms of throughput and as a result we are forecasting planting a minimum of 6,000 acres of the crop this season, twice that of 2008,”

[~Hippie3]

hmph, 6000 acres ?
right down the road from me
there's a 10,000 acre ranch.
really not that big
once you get a good view.
as for the market growing
as more hemp is produced-
maybe, maybe not.
now i love to smoke pot
but hemp clothes and food
pretty much suck.
i really doubt folks will
give up their cotton shirts for hemp.
hell you might as well wear burlap as hemp,
about the same.

[warriorsoul]

oh they can make hemp clothes so much softer now, its really as soft as cotton.

[lionelfire]

Originally Posted by warriorsoul

oh they can make hemp clothes so much softer now, its really as soft as cotton.

This is true.

I had some scratchy hemp clothing 20 years ago-today it is much softer. Now imagine an American industry making it softer for 40 years... We don't grow hemp- We make it softer.

[Dipole]

I felt a small glimmer of hope earlier in the week when I read that due to Mexico's difficulty dealing with all the crazy violence the US feds are shifting their focus. An official said that in states like California where there are medicinal pot laws there will be no effort put into enforcement. They are more worried about the violence going on in Mexico and fear of Mexico becoming a failed state.

I also saw that in one of those online(CNN) polls, 67% of the participants favored decriminalization of pot.