Author: JoeHann

    Georgia Lawmakers File Industrial Hemp Legislation House Bill 704

    In compliance with the Federal Agriculture Act of 2014, Georgia lawmakers have filed a bill to allow the cultivation of experimental industrial hemp crops. Hemp, also known as Cannabis was once a major industrial crop for American farmers since the colonial days until the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.

    House Bill 704, filed by State Rep. John Pezold and House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Chairman Tom McCall and others, would allow Georgia to establish a pilot program for the purpose of studying the growth, cultivation, or marketing of industrial hemp. According to federal law, hemp is considered to be the cannabis plant with 0.3% or less THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound associated with the euphoric affects (the high) of marijuana.

    James Bell, director of Georgia C.A.R.E. asked legislators to file a bill that complies with the federal law and lawmakers responded.

    According to Bell, at least 20 states have hemp legislation including South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Tennessee plans to put seeds in the ground this spring under their newly establish program.

    “Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry. Hemp has the potential of becoming one of Georgia’s most versatile and lucrative crops”, Bell said. “We should not be the last state to get on board with hemp. Hemp farming will create new jobs, new industries and is an eco-friendly commodity. Hemp could be a billion dollar crop for Georgia.”

    The hemp plant can be used for its fibers, seed oils and cellulose for the manufacturing of food, clothing, bio-mass fuels as well as building materials and plastics. Hemp can be used to produce thousands of products. America currently imports the commodity from other nations with an estimated value of over $500 million. But, the plant can only be grown under this experimental program within the US.

    Activist will seek out additional co-sponsors of the bill which could be considered by the Georgia General Assembly as soon as 2016.

    AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014 – President Obama signed the Agricultural Act of 2014 on February 7, 2014 including Section 7606 known as “Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research.” Section 7606 defines industrial hemp (.3% or less THC) & authorizes institutions of higher education or state department’s of agriculture in states that legalized hemp cultivation to promulgate regulations to grow hemp as an agricultural pilot program.

      Athens GA the next city to decriminalize marijuana?

      Athens C.A.R.E. is an on campus affiliate (UGA) of Georgia C.A.R.E. Josh Wayne directs the group and has been working with the Athens / Clarke County government to decriminalize one ounce or less of marijuana. This video is an example of how students and citizens can address the issue before their city and county government. We are proud of their efforts.

        Marijuana Legalization Bills Across the Nation

        From Solan.com : Legalization bills have been or will be filed in at least 15 states this year (see below). Here are five states that are most likely to be the first out of the box when it comes to legalizing pot at the statehouse.

        1. Maine. Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) has previously sponsored legalization bills and is doing the same this year. While her bill has yet to be assigned to a committee and one chamber of the legislature is dominated by Republicans, the threat of legalization via voter initiative next year if legislators don’t act this year could be enough to concentrate their minds.

        2. Massachusetts. Earlier this month, Rep. David Rogers (D-Belmont), Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville), and 13 bipartisan cosponsors introduced House Bill 1561, which would legalize marijuana for adults and establish a system of taxed and regulated marijuana commerce. As in Maine, legislators have the threat of a voter initiative next year if they fail to act.

        3. Rhode Island.Also earlier this month, Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) and House Finance Committee member Scott A. Slater (D-Providence) introduced legislation to make marijuana legal for adults 21 and older and to establish a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. The bills are House Bill 5777 and Senate Bill 510. The state has been tagged as one of the more likely ones to legalize it through the legislature.

        4. Connecticut. Rep. Edwin Vargas’ HB 6473 and Rep. Juan Candelaria’s HB 6703 would each replace Connecticut’s prohibition of marijuana with sensible regulations for adults’ use, and both are currently before the Joint Judiciary Committee.

        5. Vermont. Sen. David Zuckerman has filed Senate Bill 95, which would legalize the possession of up to an ounce by adults, establish a regulatory system for marijuana commerce, and impose a $40 an ounce excise tax on marijuana sold in the state. Whether the bill will go anywhere remains to be seen; key legislative leaders said they did not plan to hold hearings on it this year, but if the issue starts moving in neighboring states, that could change.

        These five states all have some things in common: They have all decriminalized small-time pot possession, they have all enacted medical marijuana laws, and they are all in New England, one of the most liberal regions of the country.

        A Special Case

        And then there’s Nevada. Just last week, it became the first state to have alegalization initiative approved for the November 2016 ballot. This was not a case of the legislature acting, but of the legislature failing to act. Nevada legalization advocates have already gone through all the steps to get an initiative on the ballot—drafting the measure, getting its language approved, gathering the required number of signatures—and the legislature had until last week to avoid taking the issue to the voters by simply approving it itself. It chose not to do that, and now, Nevadans are set to vote on legalization next year.

        Serious marijuana legalization initiative efforts are also likely next year or campaigns are already underway in Arizona, California, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio, as well as Maine and Massachusetts (if the legislatures don’t act first).

        More States With Legalization Bills

        Although the New England states look to have the best shot at being first to legalize via the legislature, they have no monopoly on interest in the topic. Marijuana legalization bills have also been filed this year in Arizona HB 2007, the District of Columbia (to tax and regulate), Georgia (SB 198), Hawaii (SB 383), Illinois (possession and cultivation, SB 753), Maryland (SB 531), Missouri (would allow a legalization initiative, HJR 15, New Mexico (would approve a constitutional amendment,  SJR 2; a straight legalization bill, HB 160, was already defeated), Pennsylvania (SB 528), Tennessee (possession and casual exchange, HB 0873), and Texas (HB 2165).

        It’s going to happen somewhere, maybe this year. The most promising prospects are in New England, but who knows? Will a pot law be signed in Austin before one is signed in Boston?