xxdr_zombiexx

U.S. hemp food case thrown out of court
The Western Producer |Thursday February 19, 2004

By Karen Briere
Regina bureau

Hemp proponents say a recent court victory in the United States will open that country to Canadian hemp seed products.

Arthur Hanks, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, said the Drug Enforcement Administration in the U.S., where it is illegal to grow hemp, attempted to ban imports of hemp foods because of trace tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, content.

Those foods included waffles, vegetarian burgers, salad dressing and nutrition bars.

Hemp Industries Association, which includes more than 200 North American hemp companies, launched court action against the DEA 21Ú2 years ago.

The case was resolved in a San Francisco U.S. Court of Appeal earlier this month.

Hanks said the court viewed the trace amounts of THC in hemp the same way it views the opiates in the poppy seeds on a bagel.

In Canada, trace THC would be less than 10 parts per million, he said.

"The court basically threw out the DEA's argument."

But he said Canadian hemp growers and companies are working to keep the THC content even lower than the standard because some people were falsely testing positive for marijuana use. That was a problem for those who underwent routine tests at work.

[zombienote: They have to protect the lucrative drug testing industry as well as maintain reefer madness. Drug testing owes it's existence to reefer madness. With cannabis legal, drug testing becomes a very small market with a very limited use.]

"There were cases of hemp seed foods which had relatively higher content of THC," Hanks said.

"We want to keep our trace contents down so urine tests are not going to be a false positive. No one is getting high from these foods."

He predicts that the Canadian hemp industry will grow faster now that the U.S. market is open, although the DEA could appeal to a higher court and the Food and Drug Administration may decide to get involved.

Canadian hemp acreage grew to 6,700 acres last year from 3,200 acres in 2001. The trend for many growers is toward organic production. They may be limited by the amount of certified seed available this spring, Hanks said.

About 10 Canadian hemp companies are heading to Natural Products Expo West, a major trade show in Anaheim, California, in March.

"The opportunity and timing are just excellent," Hanks said.

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Torture Good, Healthcare Bad, Marijuana Evil.

There's no money for your issue so long as we're squandering $50 billion a year on the DrugWar. Ben Masel

rick

I think the simple fact the the DEA would even go after these kinds of products shows just how deranged the DEA and the War on Drugs by extension is.

Doc, your absolutely right about the Drug Testing industry. An industry created by the drug war, and will live and die with the drug war. I cant believe how far some people will let their employers intrude into their lives in the name of the War on Drugs.

I've always just said no when it came to drug tests. But, it seems that drug tests have now become accepted, even expected. When I talk with friends, they all have to take tests, whether it is a random thing, or only if they get injured - it's amazing how they just lay down and accept it.

But hey, they dont drug test those of us making the big bucks

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Mamabudz

You know, the poppy seeds on a bagel WILL test positive for opiods ...

In fact there was a recent case in Florida where a man on probation requested the judge end his probation early because he wanted to be able to have poppy seed bagels for breakfast and was unable to have them because of his probation urine tests...The judge tossed him out of court...A simple desire to eat a specific breakfast food is not a cause for early ending of probation...

I don't think it will be possible to remove all the THC from hemp foods. That the foods do not induce a stoned state is the issue -- the fact that THC will show up in the urine is a moot factor, in my humble opinion, that is overshadowed by the great public policy benefit of this nutritional and healthful food source.

Obviously, testing for THC metabolites will become unuseful and eventually it will become an unnecessary business expense as it becomes obvious that a good worker who chooses to get stoned is still a good worker. Probably a calm and happy worker too. And if you remove the onus of a urine test, a less anxious worker who isn't too interestedin leaving their position with the company.

Except at my office...where you must be tested...and you only get the job if your test comes back Positive for THC

Hugz,

Mama Budz

Sallad

I'm not suprised by the DEA's actions. It's the same crap as the FDA is saying about Canadain drugs (legal). If people in the US were to buy more Canadain food products, it'll take away from the US's "grain belt" of products/profit.

More Canadain imports = less US profits.

Sounds like another Softwood Lumber type deal is coming up. I can't wait to see what kind of tariffs they place on this new Hemp foods. Whatever happened to Free Trade? Oh ya, it only applies if it benifits the US governement.

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"Pot's Grrrrrreat!"

Plainsman1963

Concerning drug testing...At least one of my former employers has seen the light and quit mandatory drug testing new hires.
I wish I could say it was their morality coming out and saying hi, but it was financial. At $50 a shot, they decided it cost more to drug test than it did to hire stoners.

Mamabudz

And well qulaified stoners at that !

Sage

The DEA is losing the publics support and they know it so they go after these hemp seeds because that little THC will make us go crazy and kill someone. By going to court with this matter the DEA is trying to show hemp seeds are bad and so only people who know about the truth of marijuana will patronize these products. The hemp industry should file a defamation suit against the DEA. Stop fighting with them, start to pick fights with their every mistake, show them we got power, not to mess with us and concentrate on bloody heroin rather than hemp seeds.

Logos

Laws that restrict only bennefit the rich... --KMK

I have always wanted to find someone in the urine testing field (what a pissy job that must be) who could confirm or deny this, but the body produces its own THC. I have thought that ever since I heard about the key like molecule fitting the lock like receptor. I figured that if that were the case, either the plant was meant to be ingested by humans, or the body actually produced the molecule, or one very simmilar.

So the information that I have read is that the body produced THC, and that the levels are below a certain point, and when they spike above that point that is when you test posative.

If that is the case, and John Walters and Barry McCaffrey have THC flowing through their brains, how in the hell can it be made illegal? Next thing you know modern science will figure out how to destroy the body's THC factory through the creative use of radiation or something, and we will all finally be drug free.

I always love thinking to myself, I should tell this rabid drug war proponent that they have THC flowing through their brain right now, but I can neither confirm or deny that theory.

Any urine testers in the house? Anyone know anyone in that field? Anyone know where to find anyone in that field? Me wants an interview...

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Brother Logos
The more I learn, the less I know. | Truth doesn't change, only our perception of it does.
THC Ministry | The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ | The Reluctant Messenger of Science and Religion
True religion is real living, living with all one's soul, with all ones goodness and righteousness. --Albert Einstein

CheebaMonkey

Your body does not naturally produce THC. However, it produces chemicals similar to THC, such as anandamide.

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S2

Yeah the body produces chamicals that are similar to cannibinoids, and the receptors for those substances are the primary reason THC and its variants are psychoactive but it does not produce THC

From the thread title: "Mean Spirited: God I am sick of that stoopid juvenile sounding term