HR0271 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0271 LRB097 11523 GRL 54358 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Hemp has been used for thousands of years by humans for everything from clothing fibers to food to fuel; hemp has tens of thousands of uses and can be seen in everyday life in the United States; hemp is currently imported from more than 20 countries; and

WHEREAS, Industrial hemp is defined as a specific variety of the plant Cannabis sativa L. that contains 0.3% or less of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical that gives marijuana, which generally contains 5-20% THC, its psychoactive properties; and

WHEREAS, Industrial hemp offers enough scientifically-verifiable differences with marijuana, including a number of recognizable cultivars that can be placed on a list of approved varieties of industrial hemp, that it merits a sensible policy to allow for its cultivation; and

WHEREAS, Hemp was placed on the list of Schedule I controlled substances with the passage of the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970; Schedule I substances are generally defined as having a high potential for abuse and no medical value, claims that most reasonable people would not associate with industrial hemp; and

WHEREAS, Illinois farmers, through the Illinois Farm Bureau advocacy group, have strongly supported state legislative efforts to allow farmers to cultivate industrial hemp in a manner that is highly regulated; Illinois farmers deserve the opportunity to grow a product that is in growing demand in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Though it is technically legal to cultivate industrial hemp with a permit, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency refuses to issue such permits; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the United States Food and Drug Administration, the United States Attorney General, and all other relevant agencies of the executive branch of the United States government to take immediate steps to remove barriers that prevent Illinois and other American farmers from growing industrial hemp, a product which is already imported into the United States; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we state our belief that industrial hemp, if allowed to be grown in controlled and regulated situations, could spur a growing market for this highly-versatile agricultural commodity; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be provided to the President of the United States, the United States Attorney General, the Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.