PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
  1. Signatures
    11 out of 100
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 17 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
      • Your Governor
      • Your State Senate
      • Your State House
      • Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA-06)
      • Rep. George Miller (CA-07)
      • Rep. Pete Stark (CA-13)
      • Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46)
      • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
      • Rep. Barney Frank (MA-04)
      • Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22)
      • Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH-10)
      • Rep. Ron Paul (TX-14)
      • Rep. Jim McDermott (WA-07)
      • Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI-02)
      • Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07)
  2. Created By
    victoria laliberte
    marysville, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul has filed a bill that would legalize hemp farming in the United States. This marks the second time Rep. Paul has filed this bill, but it went nowhere in the last Congress. The bill, HR 1009, would allow domestic hemp manufacturers to buy their hemp from American producers. Currently, US law bars the production of industrial hemp, and American manufacturers have to import their hemp from other countries.
Ron Paul This time around, Rep. Paul has nine cosponsors, all Democrats. They are Representatives Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Barney Frank (D-MA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Jim McDermott (D-WA), George Miller (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). "It is indefensible that the United States government prevents American farmers from growing this crop. The prohibition subsidizes farmers in countries from Canada to Romania by eliminating American competition and encourages jobs in industries such as food, auto parts and clothing that utilize industrial hemp to be located overseas instead of in the United States," said Rep. Paul. "By passing the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, the House of Representatives can help American farmers and reduce the trade deficit -- all without spending a single taxpayer dollar." Hemp food manufacturers such as French Meadow Bakery, Hempzels, Living Harvest, Nature's Path and Nutiva now make their products from Canadian hemp. "Under the current national drug control policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but it can't be grown by American farmers," says Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. "The DEA has taken the Controlled Substances Act's antiquated definition of marijuana out of context and used it as an excuse to ban industrial hemp farming. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007 will bring us back to more rational times when the government regulated marijuana, but told farmers they could go ahead and continue raising hemp just as they always had," said Steenstra.
hemp plants The introduction of the hemp bill comes just days after North Dakota issued the first state licenses for farmers to grow hemp. But North Dakota hemp farmers must still win approval from the DEA, something that is unlikely to occur under the current law. North Dakota isn't alone. Some 14 other states have passed pro-hemp measures and seven have passed bills that remove barriers to its production or research. Drug War Issues HempPolitics & Advocacy Congress

Recent Signatures

HR 1009

Please, Co-Sponsor HR 1009

I am writing you to ask that you please consider cosponsoring HR 1009, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007.<br /><br />It is a very short bill that simply amends the Controlled Substances Act so that the term &#39;marihuana&#39; does not include industrial hemp, defines what industrial hemp is, and that the regulation of growing and processing of industrial hemp be done so under under state law.<br /><br />If you or your staff would like to learn more about this agricultural issue, please read the latest version of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) report &quot;Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity,&quot; which is dated March 23, 2007 and has the order code RL32725. The report can be ordered from the CRS or it can be downloaded from The National Agricultural Law Center at:<br /><br />http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL32725.pdf<br /><br />Please also consider watching the video &quot;Controversial Crop&quot; from America&#39;s Heartland, which is produced by KVIE in Sacramento, California:<br /><br />http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_315/controversial_crop.html<br /><br />Vote Hemp recently released a new poll of 807 likely North Dakota voters about industrial hemp. According to the poll, a total of 74% of North Dakotan voters support changing federal law to allow farmers to grow hemp, including 40% who &quot;strongly support&quot; and another 34% who &quot;somewhat support&quot; changes so that farmers in the U.S. can supply manufacturers with hemp seed and fiber grown from oilseed and fiber varieties of industrial hemp. You can read the poll at:<br /><br />http://www.votehemp.com/polls.html<br /><br />The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007 would finally allow North Dakota, and the states that have passed pro-hemp legislation or resolutions (Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia), considered pro-hemp legislation or resolutions (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin), or where farm groups have advocated for a return to industrial hemp farming (Ohio and Pennsylvania), to choose whether or not to let farmers grow industrial hemp.<br /><br />I would specifically like to know what your position is on supporting farmers in the U.S. having the opportunity to once again farm this agricultural crop and what you, or your staff, thought of the CRS report and the video. I look forward to your reply.<br /><br />Again, please consider cosponsoring HR 1009, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007.

[Your name]

Press Inquiries