Response from Senator Feinstein to my Email about LEGALIZING HEMP... She failed to grasp What the Subject WAS and wrote me a letter about SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT!

Classic! Whenever people have no Real answer, they switch the subject... 

I questioned the American LAWS that prevent Growing Hemp in the USA but Allow IMPORTING HEMP FROM CANADA...  The Act of FARMING was Illegal... NOT the Plant itself... as it turned out, Congress Corrected this CRAZYLAW [tm] and now the USA is Harvesting a HUGE Hemp Crop... SEE? There IS Hope for the Future... If Enough People AND CORPORATIONS point out The INSANITY of Current Laws... CHANGE HAPPENS! 

I GREW HEMP George Washington button
by gregvan

Dear  Mr. Vanderlaan :

Thank you for writing to me concerning your support for the industrial application of cannabis sativa L (hemp).   I appreciate hearing from you on this issue, and I welcome the opportunity to respond. 

Currently, it is illegal in the U.S. to grow cannabis for industrial purposes, although products containing "hemp" are legally imported from other nations and sold in the U.S.  On February 14, 2013, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act" (S. 359), which would amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow the cultivation of industrial hemp in states that have permitted the substance to be grown.  S. 359  is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Senator Wyden also introduced this bill as an amendment to the 2013 Senate Farm Bill (S.  Amdt . 952).  However, this amendment did not receive a vote before the full Senate and was therefore not included in the final version of the Senate Farm Bill.

All cannabis, including hemp, contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act.  I have concerns that legislation like S. 359 and S.  Amdt . 952 could unintentionally weaken the Controlled Substances Act by allowing for the growth or manufacturing of a product containing THC, which is currently illegal under federal law.  For example, the Drug Enforcement Administration recently reported that cannabis plants with a relatively low THC concentration provide a substantial source of psychoactive material that would be readily exploited by drug seekers if such plants could be easily acquired.  Using a relatively simple and inexpensive process of chemical extraction, readily available on the Internet, hemp could be readily converted into a highly potent concentrate known as "hash oil." 

Again, thank you for sharing your views with me.  I hope you will continue to keep in touch on issues that are important to you.  If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to call my Washington D.C. office at (202) 224-3841.  Best regards.

Sincerely yours,


  Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator

Dear Mr. Vanderlaan:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the legalization of marijuana.  I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

Please know that I do not support the legalization of illicit drugs, including marijuana.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), driving after marijuana use is more prevalent than drunk driving, and marijuana is the most frequently detected illegal substance in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims.  Studies have also shown that early and persistent marijuana use can lead to a loss of IQ points and lower educational achievement.  Moreover, a June 2012  report ( http://tinyurl.com/7uk2yvj )   issued when I was Chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control noted that marijuana is much more potent today than in the past, with tested samples showing that average potency more than doubled from 1998 to 2008.

I recognize that marijuana may have medicinal properties that could help individuals dealing with serious medical conditions, such as cancer-related nausea and AIDS-related wasting.  For this reason, I support compassionate use in certain medical situations when prescribed by a physician for a serious illness.  In addition, I have not opposed further research on the potential medical benefits of marijuana. 

Again, thank you for taking the time to write.  If you have any additional comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. staff by calling (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at  www.feinstein.senate.gov .

Sincerely yours,


  Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator