THE MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS VOTED IN FAVOR OF A BILL THAT WOULD EXEMPT HEMP FROM STATE LAW GOVERNING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND CREATE A PILOT PROGRAM FOR HEMP PRODUCTION.
THE BILL’S SPONSOR SAYS THE BILL WOULD BE A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND PROPERTY RIGHTS.
HOUSE BILL 2034 WOULD ALSO ALLOW MISSOURI MANUFACTURERS TO IMPORT HEMP FROM OTHER STATES WHERE IT CAN BE GROWN.
CURRENTLY, MISSOURI MANUFACTURERS MUST GET IT FROM OTHER NATIONS BECAUSE OF LAWS THAT PROHIBIT TRANSPORT ACROSS STATE LINES.
THE BILL WOULD ALSO ALLOW THE CULTIVATION OF HEMP WITH LESS THAN .3 PERCENT THC. THC IS THE MAIN PSYCHOACTIVE COMPONENT OF CANNABIS.
1ST DISTRICT STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALLEN WAS ONE OF JUST 4 “NO” VOTES ON THE BILL. ANDREWS SAID THE HIGHWAY PATROL OPPOSES IT AND SAID OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT CONSIDER HEMP AS A FIRST STEP TOWARD LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.
FARM GROUPS HAVE SAID THAT ADDING INDUSTRIAL HEMP TO A CROP ROTATION CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN YIELDS. HEMP ALSO GROWS WELL IN POOR SOIL, INCLUDING LAND NOT SUITABLE FOR MORE TYPICAL CROPS SUCH AS CORN OR SOYBEANS.
THE VOTE APPROVING THE BILL WAS 141-4. THE BILL GOES TO THE SENATE WHERE IN PAST YEARS SIMILAR LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PASSED OUT OF A COMMITTEE BUT HAS NOT BEEN PASSED BY THE FULL CHAMBER.
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