Should NH legalize growing industrial hemp?

It’s one of the world’s oldest crops, with a history of use in a wide range of products, from paper and textiles to biofuel and animal feed. But hemp has been illegal to grow in the United States since the 1970s, when it was classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances act.

Hemp plants are cultivars of cannabis that contain minimal amounts of THC. This means that hemp, though closely related to marijuana, has no psychoactive qualities and cannot be used for intoxication.

Currently, products made in the United States with hemp rely on imported materials. It is legal to import hemp from other countries, as long as THC levels are below 0.3%.

In recent years, several states have legalized growing industrial hemp. Current federal rules allow such states to grow hemp for research and development purposes, but commercial production is still illegal.

Rep. Daniel Itse is sponsoring a 2017 bill, HB 151, that would prohibit classifying industrial hemp as a controlled substance in New Hampshire. 

The New Hampshire Legislature considered a similar bill in 2015. Speaking in favor of that bill Rep. Ed Comeau wrote, “Today industrial hemp is a sustainable fiber used in many products that are imported but could be made locally. … [P]rohibiting a controlled substance designation would foster a vibrant economy and bring needed job growth to the local economies within New Hampshire.” 

The Senate killed the bill but voted to allow the University of New Hampshire to study industrial hemp. 

Opponents of legalizing industrial hemp note that the federal government still forbids the cultivation of industrial hemp except for research purposes. 

Other opponents express concern that the legalization of industrial hemp would make it more difficult for police to enforce marijuana laws, since hemp and marijuana have some similarities.

Do you think New Hampshire should legalize industrial hemp? Leave a comment to join the discussion.

UPDATE: Read our Citizen Voices℠ report and find out where New Hampshire stands on this issue.