The legalization of hemp initiative is finally ramping up and politicians, pundits, economists and scientists are speaking out in favor of this common sense solution to a number of challenges our country now faces.
'Leaders", and I use the term loosely, from both parties and almost all ideologies are now on record as supportive of legislation to remove the barriers that are preventing farmers from growing a crop that, until 1937, was on its way to becoming America's first billion dollar agricultural industry. And when such disparate personalities like Ralph Nader and Rand Paul agree on an issue, there's got to be hope for progress.
It's about time and yes, the road to repeal is going to be difficult. Especially now, when obstructionism and a perverse form of Munchhausen syndrome on the part of a loud, self destructive minority is successfully preventing government from actually working for the greater good.
But hope springs eternal, and for this, my first diary, I'd like to share an article I wrote right after President Obama was elected. It includes my take on where we are, how we got here and some lessons learned toward reintroducing hemp as an industry that can do more good than harm.
My only caveat is the admission that a great majority of my research came from content published on the Internet, where men claim to be French models, long distance girlfriends to college athletes or Nigerian princes willing to share their fortune in exchange for nothing more than an act of kindness and access to your identity information.
Said article, originally titled Economic Bale Out, or it's Time for America to Wake up and Smell the Hemp, is below.
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