A renewed attempt to legalize industrial hemp in Illinois took a major step as the Illinois House passed SB2298, which would allow Illinois farmers to apply for permits to grow industrial hemp, a variety of the cannabis plant used to make textiles, paper and a variety of commercial and industrial products..

 

 

 

Federal law prohibits the growing of hemp, which is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule 1 drug, or one with a high potential for abuse. Hemp advocates have long pointed out that it contains very small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive chemical that gives marijuana users a “high.”

 

 

 

At least 16 states have legalized industrial hemp production for commercial purposes.   Illinois passed legislation in 2014 allowing the state’s Department of Agriculture and state universities to grow hemp for research purposes.  The bill passed the House on a vote of 106-3 after being approved in the Senate on a vote of 50-0.

 

 

State Representative Tim Butler (R-Springfield), the sponsor of the bill in the House, said it is a long past due piece of legislation which will help the states farmers diversify...

 

 

 

Agriculture advocates say the bill will offer farmers an additional crop in hemp, the market for which is projected to break $2 billion by 2020.