N.D. farmers lose lawsuit to raise hemp, but DEA set to allow research in state 8 years after request

Two North Dakota farmers who sued to end the federal policy that regards hemp as marijuana lost in court yesterday, but in the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration ook a step toward allowing North Dakota State University to conduct research on industrial hemp.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland "wrote that the problem facing state-licensed hemp farmers David Monson and Wayne Hauge needs to be addressed by Congress if they hope to ever grow the versatile crop which is used in everything from food and soap to clothing and auto parts," reports USAgNet. The farmers may appeal. One point of contention could be that Hovland "ruled that hemp and marijuana are the same, as DEA has contended for years. However, scientific evidence clearly shows that not only is industrial hemp genetically distinct from the drug marijuana, there are also absolutely no psychoactive effects from ingesting it," USAgNet reports.

Two weeks after the hearing in the case, DEA has sent a Memorandum of Agreement to North Dakota State "which, if signed by the school, would clear the way for industrial hemp research there," USAgNet reports. "NDSU filed an amicus brief in support of the farmers' lawsuit which highlighted the university's eight-year struggle to secure a license from the DEA to grow industrial hemp for research as mandated by state law." (Read more) "NDSU has been required by state lawmakers to study industrial hemp as an alternative crop but has been unable to get DEA permission," reports Blake Nicholson of The Associated Press. DEA's conditions are related mainly to security concerns. (Read more)