Congressmen Ron Paul and Barney Frank are introducing a bill for the third time that would remove restrictions on the cultivation of industrial hemp. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act will be identical to HR 1009 which was introduced in the 110th Congress in 2007.

"With so much discussion lately in the media about drug policy, it is surprising the tragedy of American hemp farming hasn't come up as a 'no-brainer' for reform," says Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra. "Hemp is a versatile, environmentally friendly crop that has not been grown for over 50 years because of a politicized interpretation of the nation's drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)."

Hemp that is grown outside the U.S. has been used in the manufacture of natural soaps, eco-friendly auto parts, food products, and clothing. Proponents of industrial hemp state that it would be less expensive a crop to grow for the manufacture of fuels such as bio diesel and ethanol.

According to Vote Hemp, sixteen states have passed pro-hemp legislation; eight (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research. North Dakota has issued state licenses two years running. The new bill would remove federal barriers and allow laws in these states regulating the growing and processing of industrial hemp to take effect.

"Under the current national drug control policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but it can't be grown by American farmers," says Steenstra. "The Industrial Hemp Farming Act will bring us back to more rational times when the government regulated marijuana, but told farmers they could go ahead and continue raising hemp just as they always had."