WHEN's Magic brings together diverse Hemp for Victory panel
The Hemp for Victory Forum hosted by the Washington Hemp Education Network (WHEN) on April 21st, covered the complex issue of hemp prohibition, and its current political and social ramifications on American politics.
The forum opened with the 1942 WWII classic, Hemp for Victory. This film was created by the United States Department of Agriculture to encourage farmers to grow hemp for the war effort. Seen in 1998, the film is humorous, with it's Disney like soundtrack. However, it makes a great introduction to the utility and usefulness of the hemp plant. It is also evidence that the government is wise to the utility of hemp.
"Hemp for tow lines; hemp for tackle and gear; hemp for countless naval uses both on ship and shore. Just as in the days when Old Ironsides sailed the seas victorious with her hempen shrouds and hempen sails. Hemp for victory!"
WHEN board member Magic Black-Ferguson assembled an expert panel including State Senator Jeanne Kohl (D-36); Ken Friedman, President of the Hemp Industries Association; WHEN Medical Director Dr. David Edwards; and Nora Callahan, Director of the November Coalition. The panel was hosted by WHEN Treasurer, Bob Owen.
Industrial Hemp
Ken Friedman gave an update on the current status of industrial hemp in America. He indicated that state legislatures are ready to legalize industrial hemp, pointing to examples of bills in the legislatures of Vermont, New Hampshire and Hawaii. "In every state, the primary opposition has always been the DEA." Freidman thinks the DEA's position is groundless. "It's like outlawing potatoes because you can make alcohol out of them."
America's prohibition of hemp is the exception. "It's grown all over the world with government approval," including Canada beginning this year. Mr. Friedman also pointed out the diversity of uses for which industrial hemp is being used, such as strengthening autobodies in Germany, seed oil in Canada, and fiber crops for clothing and paper in Eastern Europe.
Medical Marijuana
Senator Jeanne Kohl was the next speaker, discussing first the story of her friend Suzanne, who recently died of cancer. Suzanne had been fighting cancer for many years and had successfully used other drugs, including marinol, to tolerate the chemotherapy. In the end, when the chemotherapy was a daily regimen, no prescribable medication was successful at helping her tolerate her illness. Thanks to the Green Cross, she was able to get some marijuana for her nausea. Kohl also discussed Senate Bill 6271, the medical marijuana bill she introduced this year, and lent her support to the new medical marijuana initiative, I-692. "We're dealing with an issue where people are suffering," said Kohl. Oftentimes, issues follow party lines, but she likes to point out that "pain and suffering are not partisan issues." A medical marijuana study at the University of Washington that Senator Kohl supported was funded by the 1996 State Legislature but has been caught up in red tape and has not yet begun.
Dr. David Edwards, WHEN's Medical Director presented a risk/benefit analysis of medical marijuana. Dr. Edwards reviewed two areas of risk to marijuana smokers: the respiratory and immune system. His analysis showed that even the heaviest smokers would take up to 50 years to reach the intake level at which tobacco smokers develop lung cancer. Given this large dosage and the fact the many medical marijuana patients would not live long enough to experience any deleterious effects, he found the negative claims against medical marijuana without merit.
The Drug War
Nora Callahan from the November Coalition gave a report on the prisoners of the drug war. Unfortunately, the prospect does not look good. Newt Gingrich is proposing the death penalty for importing 2 pounds of marijuana and the Juvenile Crime Bill (S. 10) will now put kids on trial as adults and keep them in adult prisons where, according to the ACLU, they are 500 times more likely to be raped than adult prisoners. Callahan noted that 25% of Washington State prisoners are there on drug offenses. Given the current situation, she was optimistic. "We believe that the people of America can lead our leaders."
The Hemp for Victory Forum will be televised on Spirit of the Times at a later date. Spirit of the Times is broadcast on TCI Channel 29 every Wednesday at 2:00 PM. Contact Magic Black-Ferguson at magic@hemp.net for more information.