Source: pennlive.com
An example of a health drink that includes hemp seeds.
Hemp, the non-psychotropic cousin of marijuana, was once a major cash crop in Pennsylvania and could return as lawmakers formally introduced a bill Thursday to resurrect the industry.
Senate Bill 50 would allow the cultivation of hemp through research programs at colleges and universities. It's sponsored by Sens. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, and Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, two of the supporters of medical marijuana legislation that itself may see passage this year.
"From paper to fuel, clothing to biodegradable plastics, the return of industrial hemp would give Pennsylvania's farmers the opportunity to grow an in-demand crop that benefits tens of millions of people all over the world," Schwank said, in a written statement.
Hemp, a member of the cannabis species, contains very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, the substance that leads to the high smokers feel from marijuana.
In the 1700s, it was largely used in the textile industry but has seen a resurgence in recent decades in everything from building materials to cosmetics and health foods. Last year, the federal farm bill allowed states to authorize hemp production for the first time since it was declared illegal in 1970.
"Twelve other states are already ahead of Pennsylvania in this industry," Folmer said. "We are long overdue on utilizing the prospects that the Farm Bill of 2014 has offered to us as a state."
A town hall meeting to discuss both the hemp and medical marijuana proposals is planned March 11 in Annville, Lebanon County.
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