Third, the motives of supporters of hemp cultivation are completely irrelevant. The fact that some farmers let a mention in High Times influence them tells us something about the poor state of critical thinking in America. This spring, Canada will join the European Union and most of the rest of the world in allowing its farmers to plant industrial hemp. But unlike the U.S., Canada's debate over legalization was relatively brief and uncontentious. But hemp wasn't a hard sell for most people.
People see it as a chance to diversify.
Canada legalized the crop in 1996 and focused on writing regulations to prevent potential abuse of hemp's resemblance to marijuana. Meanwhile, U.S. interest groups devoted their energy to mudslinging. In reply, hemp proponents accuse the Drug Enforcement Administration of fighting to protect its marijuana eradication budget. The rest were ditch-weed descendants of industrial hemp grown for rope, paper and cloth. Neither position contributes much toward a reasonable resolution.