The industrial hemp debate, for now, is over.  Because industrial hemp is related to marijuana the DEA will not allow the two farmers from North Dakota who hold state licenses to grow the potentially lucrative crop–even though industrial hemp doesn’t contain enough THC to be used as a drug.

The farmers have a new challenge before them:  how to get Congress to address the issue of industrial hemp and pass a law defining it separately from marijuana.  With a distinct definition in place, the DEA would probably have to approve the state licenses.

And the farmers may have something to go on.  From Max Lindberg’s blog:

The DEA has, according to Vote Hemp, sent a “Memorandum of Agreement” to North Dakota State University (NDSU) which would, if signed by the school, allow them to grow industrial hemp
for research purposes. NDSU originally requested permission to study hemp eight years ago, but never heard from the feds. Judge Hovland’s decision can be read at Vote Hemp.

If one memorandum of agreement can be reached, why not others?  Whether or not the farmers are able to get their own memorandums of agreement, a precedent has now been set, and that could fuel the industrial hemp vs. marijuana debate.

I’m not so sure that North Dakot is finished with this issue after all.  People like David Monson and Wayne Hauge will probably only see this as a roadblock to be removed, which means Congress will have to address it sooner or later.