STAND. COM. REP. NO.  406

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.R. No. 6

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.R. No. 6 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO RE-STATE THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL INTENT OF THE FEDERAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT IS NOT TO PROHIBIT THE PRODUCTION OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to encourage the President of the United States and the United States Congress to re-state that the federal Controlled Substances Act is not intended to prohibit industrial hemp production.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering; American Civil Liberties Union; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; Vote Hemp; and four concerned individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that industrial hemp is genetically distinct from marijuana and does not produce a drug effect when smoked or ingested.  The federal War on Drugs policy has unnecessarily placed criminal penalties on growing industrial hemp for clothing, food, construction materials, and other non-medicinal purposes.  Legalizing the production of industrial hemp would provide economic opportunities for the farming, research, manufacturing, and construction industries while encouraging sustainable use of agricultural lands.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 6 and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair