Legal Hemp Coming to South Carolina

The statehouse in South Carolina has approved a bill, legalizing the production of hemp in the Palmetto State. The measure passes the house on a vote of 72 to 28. Senate members passed the resolution on a vote of 42 to zero in March.

Ten states passed similar measures before this latest bill. The legislation was sponsored by Lee Bright and Kevin Bryant, two of the most conservative members in the statehouse.

Federal law still prohibits the manufacture of industrial hemp. The plant is a close relative of marijuana, but does not contain psychoactive ingredients.

During the Second World War, the United States encouraged farmers to grow the plant for the war effort. Soon after, federal attitude toward the material once again aimed to end its production.

California, Colorado, Maine, Vermont and Montana are among the states which have re-legalized the material.

Wayne Borders, an activist for cannabis law reform in the state, said “The Hemp Industries Association has actually estimated for 2012 that the retail value of hemp in the United States that was sold and transferred was about $500 billion.”

Due to the federal ban on the substance, these sales of hemp products were transferred to other nations.

Unless the federal ban on the manufacture of industrial hemp is lifted, these state resolutions will not likely result in production.

http://www.wbtw.com/story/24792404/bill-would-legalize-industrial-hemp-in-sc

http://www.mpp.org/states/south-carolina

http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2014/05/south-carolina-passes-bill-to-nullify-

federal-hemp-ban

http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/2014/03/13/senate-approves-legalizing-

industrial-hemp

http://www.votehemp.com/state/south_carolina.html