ntrimbac@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Nicholas Trimbac) writes:
>  I'm still undecided as to wether or not hemp should be lagalized.  On of the 
>arguments I hear over and over again is that 'in one acre of hemp there is the 
>equivalent of 10 acres of trees' or some such.
>  While this may be true is it really a reason to support legalization of hemp.
> What if the genetic wizards removed the genetic code for the production of 
>THC.  Would you quit fighting for the legalization of hemp?  After all this 
>seems to be one of the biggest prolegalization arguments.
>  As I've said I haven't made up my mind one way or the other. I'm not trying 
>to be antagonistic either...just questioning....
*----
You don't have to oppose the legalization of hemp for commercial purposes
to be in favor of legalizing it for recreational use.  One of the reasons
I have no respect for NORML is their reluctance to admit that recreatonal
use the the primary reason most of us care about the legalization issue in
the first place.  Would there be such an outcry if poison ivy were illegal?

Unfortunately, the commercial/environmental issue is very weak.  There
are lots of good oil-seed plants (rapeseed is very popular these days)
and many are superior to hemp.  Likewise, hemp has a big advantage for
paper over trees, but there are many other plants that are appropriate
for paper making (and we'd have a pretty decent impact on the environment
if we'd just stop bleaching paper so much no matter where it comes from).
Likewise, you'd be hard pressed to convince the textile industry that
hemp is so vastly superior to other sources of cloth fiber (though it
certainly would have a niche).

As you point out, it would be a real blow to most of the people in the
legalize-hemp-for-all-the-wrong-reasons movement if it WERE legalized
for the commercial purposes but only if genetically altered to give a
disappointing high.

Finally, you can't ignore the economic reality.  A hemp legalization
movement would take decades to establish.  You are talking about
revolutionizing the paper, textile, and vegetable oil industries.
Do you think the people who hold jobs under the status quo are going'
to take such an upheaval lying down?  There will always be people
willing to chop down forests if the price is right.

So basically, I recommend that you advocate legalization for reasons
that you truly believe.  While I have been involved in environmental
issues for a very long time, I don't see that legalization of hemp
will have any significant benefits overall.  But there would be an
incredible impact on crime if it were legalized for recreational use.
The savings in law enforcement and court costs would pay for a lot
environmental improvements.
--
	Mike Berger
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu