The political efforts to legalize marijuana and hemp have gone hand in hand over the years, but now that legalization of industrial hemp and cannabis is a reality, a schism has developed in Oregon. Southern Oregon, known for its great cannabis-growing climate, is ground zero for the battle as medical cannabis growers are concerned about cross-pollination from industrial hemp. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has issued 13 industrial hemp licenses thus far and cannabis cultivators are asking the state to rescind those licenses through an amendment that has been proposed in the Oregon Rules Committee. From the Register Guard:
The amendment “is designed to kill this industry,” said Mark Gatlin, a Grants Pass city councilor at a brief hearing on Wednesday.
After receiving his license earlier this year, Cliff Thomason planted hemp on 43 acres near Williams in Josephine County last month. His main goal is to produce hemp for medical purposes, as a nonpsychoactive alternative to medical marijuana, he said.
Thomason said he can’t understand why lawmakers are proposing such a heavy-handed approach.
“I’ve been waiting eight years (to grow hemp), and now they’re already trying to shut me down,” he said. Lawmakers “are trying to give preference to medical marijuana over hemp on what is notoriously some of the best farmland for cannabis.”
This is a serious issue that has split natural allies. It is easy for me to consider the plight of both sides of the argument. Hemp has so many uses and Oregon can help lead the nation in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly crop. However, Oregon’s medical cannabis fields supply the state’s patients and will be the foundation for the state’s upcoming legalization system. I hope that there is a compromise based upon science and that cooler heads will prevail. Now that legalization is a reality, it is time for Oregon to lead the way in both hemp and cannabis production in a way that sufficiently addresses the concerns of all involved.
Anthony Johnson
Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.
