Industrial Hemp Cultivation Begins in Colorado Free at Last!Alex Pietrowski In November of 2012, Colorado passed Amendment 64 which revised the states drug-policy laws for cannabis, declaring that industrial hemp be regulated separately from cannabis. In June of 2014, the governor of Colorado signed legislation prescribing a limit to the amount of THC content in hemp, and establishing a committee within the State Department of Agriculture tasked with developing regulations for commercial hemp farming by 2014. However, in anticipation of regulation and to test out the murky waters of State versus Federal drug law, some activists planted hempseed this year, and hemp activists and farmers recently met in Springfield, Colorado to celebrate this years cultivation of 60 acres of the fibrous weed: The usefulness of hemp is widely documented and many other nations profit from its commercial cultivation, but, here in the US the wide range of hemp products available on the market are comprised of imports: Hemp should be traded on the market exchanges along side corn, wheat and other commodities, as it offers an abundant, easily produced resource to a wide variety of industries. Hemp is used in quality textiles, in the production of bio-fuels, in insulation and building materials, rope, in cosmetics, soaps, and shampoos. Nutritionally, it is one of the most valuable plants for the human body and products include hemp oil,hempseed, hemp milk, hemp protein, supplements and more. As a replacement for wood pulp, hemp fiber holds untapped potential as a resource to replace the over-harvesting of trees, and it is being used as a renewable bio-fuel. Long considered a useful and necessary part of the American economy, it has been observed by many that the outlawing of hemp in the US was the result of political intervention by insiders, bankers, an barons of the media, timber and the chemical industries who desired no market competition from this common-sense crop: The history of hemp is rich, interesting and rather inspiring, dating back to first European colonies at Plymouth Rock in the 1600s. Hemp enthusiasts like to note that it was also cultivated by the first president of the United States, George Washington, and that the Declaration of Independence was written on paper made of hemp fiber. Still, many Americans are unaware of the differences between hemp and cannabis, and know very little of its history or of its potential value. This is changing, however, as widespread support for the end of cannabis prohibition spreads and the outreach effort grows. The possibilities for industrial hemp are vast and the significance of this years harvest is tremendous. In the quest for intelligent, common-sense solutions to the major issues facing mankind, the cultivation of industrial hemp is absolutely necessary. At a time when American farmers and entrepreneurs are struggling to meet the challenges of a poor economy, and while the technology to support innovation with natural products is unprecedented today, hemp is akin to an open-source, free-range raw material for pioneers of energy, design, and nutrition. It should be a human right to cultivate and use whichever plants an individual chooses to, and the news about the cultivation of hemp in Colorado is cause for celebration. Resources: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_24259474/colorado-farmer-harvests-first-u-s-commercial-hemp?source=hot-topic-bar http://www.denverpost.com/ci_23066385/colorado-hemp-grower-plant-historic-first-u-s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Amendment_64 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history_of_cannabis_in_the_United_States http://blog.norml.org/2013/06/14/colorado-governor-signs-law-regulating-state-hemp-production/ http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana/ci_22516321 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embeddedv=O4f7xu5Vs5s#t=14 http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2013/07/hemp_advisory_committee_colorado.php Alex Pietrowski is an artist and writer concerned with preserving good health and the basic freedom to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. He is a staff writer for WakingTimes.com and an avid student of Yoga and life. 