FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

What: Awareness March for support of Industrial Hemp Cannabis

When: Tuesday, October 11th, 2011, 5:00pm

Where: Corner of N Main and Irving St, Oshkosh
March will start immediately after an introductory meeting of NORML
Participants will be marching to the sun dial.

Why: To raise awareness for HR 1831 – The Industrial Hemp Act of 2011

House Bill 1831, The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011, would exclude low potency varieties of marijuana from federal prohibition. If approved, this measure will grant state legislatures the authority to license and regulate the commercial production of hemp as an industrial and agricultural commodity.

Several states — including North Dakota, Montana, and Vermont– have enacted regulations to allow for the cultivation of hemp under state law. However, none of these laws can be implemented without federal approval.

Passage of HR 1831 would remove existing federal barriers and allow states that wish to regulate commercial hemp production the authority to do so.

With the U.S. hemp industry valued at over $400 million in annual retail sales and growing, a change in federal policy to allow hemp farming would mean instant job creation, among many other economic and environmental benefits. According to a 2010 Congressional Resource Service report, “approximately 30 countries in Europe, Asia, and North and South America currently permit farmers to grow hemp.” But the United States does not. As a result, U.S. companies that specialize in hempen goods have no choice but to import hemp material. These added production costs are then passed on to the consumer who must pay artificially high retail prices for hemp products.

Supporters of Industrial Hemp are in Oshkosh to promote the growth of the Northern Wisconsin NORML, the local chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, to bring awareness to HR 1831, The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011 and also in a direct response to Senator Jessica King’s recent i9 public comments about this “controversial plant.”

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Jay Selthofner at 920-410-2920 or visit www.NorthernWiNORML.org for more information.

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Press Release: Tues, Oct 11th, 2011, 5:00pm Awareness March for support of Industrial Hemp Cannabis

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