Letter to the Editor, printed May 27 2010 regarding Hemp History Week
It was also was printed in the Ripon Commonwealth Express on 5-27-2010 (http://www.riponpress.com/main.asp?SectionID=11&SubSectionID=46&ArticleID=1105&TM=72401.38)
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People throughout the United States are celebrating Hemp History Week in their own way, exposing our rich history of hemp farming and hemp products. Others are educating about the future of hemp fuels in light of the recent oil well flow into our oceans. Others are urging President Obama and Attorney General Holder to change federal policy on the hemp cannabis plant all together. Some say “tax this plant!”
Industrial hemp is a bi-partisan issue with overwhelming public support. The natural resources and product base marijuana offers will help heal our local economy once again. Just as the campaign for medical marijuana over the last several months has shown us, this plant has multiple and numerous benefits. Even last week’s article from our own Senator Olsen pointed out the dangers of and deaths from “prescription medications”, but yet marijuana has failed to kill anyone medicinally or recreationally.
With alcohol and tobacco killing so many people, why are the few opponents of marijuana allowed to cause harm to our society by denying farmers the right to grow, patients the right to medicate, and recreational users the right to a safer choice than alcohol or tobacco?
Patiently waiting,
Jay Selthofner
