[News release] Bush Administration Has Until September 27 to File Hemp Appeal to Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, DC - The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and manufacturers of hemp seed products who won on February 6 their 2 ½-year old court battle to keep hemp foods legal in HIA v. DEA are optimistic that they are just days away from final victory over the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) 2001 attempted ban. The Bush Administration has until September 27 to appeal to the Supreme Court the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision from earlier this year. Sales of hemp foods in the U.S. will be permanently protected if the Bush Administration does not appeal by the September 27 deadline.

"Manufacturers of healthy foods containing omega-3 rich hemp nut and oil are confident that the Administration cannot win an appeal to the Supreme Court," says David Bronner, Chair of the HIA's Food and Oil Committee and President of Alpsnack/Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. "The three-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit unanimously ruled that the DEA ignored the specific Congressional exemption in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that excludes hemp fiber, seed and oil from control along with poppy seeds. The Court reasonably viewed as insignificant and irrelevant harmless trace amounts of THC in hemp seed, just like harmless trace amounts of opiates in poppy seeds," says Bronner. Fighting the DEA's attempted ban has cost hemp companies over $200,000, but in a surprising twist, attacks on the hemp food industry have actually energized the hemp food marketplace. "Since the hemp food ban was announced in October of 2001, awareness about hemp food's nutritional value and sales has increased," says Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. "With more hemp food products on the market than three years ago, a Bush Administration appeal will only further embarrass the DEA while helping drive sales. Appealing the decision would be a last-ditch effort to save face at the expense of taxpayers and limited law enforcement resources."

Hemp Foods are Safe and Nutritious - DEA Rules Were Ridiculous! Hemp seed is one of the most perfect nutritional resources in all of nature. In addition to its excellent flavor profile, the seed meat protein supplies all essential amino acids in an easily digestible form and with a high protein efficiency ratio. But most importantly, hemp seed and oil offer high concentrations of the two essential fatty acids (EFAs) in a perfect ratio of the omega-3/omega-6 acids. EFA's are the "good fats" that doctors recommend as part of a healthy, balanced diet. This superior nutritional profile makes hemp nut (shelled seed) and oil ideal for a wide range of functional food applications and as an effective fatty acid supplement. Not surprisingly, hemp nut and oil are increasingly used in natural food products, such as breads, frozen waffles, cereals, nutrition bars, meatless burgers and salad dressings.

Unfortunately, because of their paranoia DEA has confused non-psychoactive industrial hemp varieties of cannabis with psychoactive varieties, and thus the U.S. is the only major industrialized nation to prohibit the growing of industrial hemp.

Here's hoping all that will change on the 28th.