The decision was in response to a petition filed by a coalition of farm, manufacturing, and environmental groups. The coalition asked the Clinton Administration to take a leadership role in advancing this process.
Industrial hemp can make fabrics, building materials, paints, foods, oils and many other products.
Used as a paper product, it can help reduce depletion of American forests. It may also prove to be a useful substitute for petroleum products, from fuels to plastics. Today, industrial hemp is grown by nations around the world, from Canada to Western Europe, Russia and China. Yet, Americans must import hemp products, rather than make them ourselves, because DEA bans its cultivation. We want the Bush Administration to take a fresh look at this issue and at the value of industrial hemp for America s economy and environment.