By Antonio Cordero
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS — The legalization of the production of industrial hemp is a step closer to reality after the House Agricultural Committee passed an amended bill Tuesday.
Industrial hemp can be used in a variety of ways, including the production of fuel. This is becoming a major issue in light of the higher levels of ethanol fuels will contain after the second generation of fuels comes around.
Currently, E-10 type of fuel, which contains up to 10 percent of ethanol, is the most common across the state. But a new type of ethanol fuel is set to be released – E-15 contains 50 percent more ethanol than E-10, which could potentially damage cars not meant to run on it.
The committee amended the bill in order to provide liability protection for the fuel industry in the event consumers accidentally use the wrong fuel in their cars.
“This amendment is common sense. It helps Indiana make fuels reach the marketplace. As I said it gives the station owners peace of mind knowing that they’re protected in the event that a consumer puts an incompatible fuel in their vehicle, which could happen today with other types of fuels,†said Dave Hudak, Secretary Treasurer of the Indiana Ethanol Producers Association.
It’s not just a local push – 10 other states have passed similar legislation, and Congress is also working to legalize industrial hemp at a federal level. Senator Richard Young Jr, D-Milltown, warned other lawmakers of the negative consequences not passing this bill could bring.
“That’s one of the reasons we need to be very concerned , so that we don’t find ourselves left out of the opportunity not only from an agricultural point which is very important to our state being one of the largest agricultural states and having a large part of our economy come from agriculture, but also for Indiana, we are the largest manufacturing state in the nation, and this industrial hemp provides tremendous opportunities for our manufacturing industry and in all these sectors that means jobs.â€
Bob Kraft, representing the North American Industrial Hemp Council agreed.
“Other states are positioning themselves to take advantage and to put their farmers in the position to take advantage of an opportunity that will occur when, not if, but when the federal government decides to lift its prohibition,†Kraft said. “And it makes no sense at all for the state of Indiana to preclude our farmers from positioning ourselves to be able to take advantage of that opportunity.â€
Hemp is also used for medicinal purposes. Cannabis Component Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, can be used as an anti-inflammatory to the brain and body. According to two Indiana mothers, clinical studies show CBD is one of the most effective tools in the treatment of Dravet Syndrome, a condition that causes severe seizures, a syndrome their sons suffer from.
Miriah Mershon and Brandy Barrett, emotionally expressed their hope the bill would become law.
“I just want that opportunity. I want the opportunity to try this on my son. This is a genetic condition that was not inherited. It was not caused by an outside factor, it just happened,†Mershon said.
Barrett agreed.
“We now know that it is possible for Noah and for others to see progress. It has been shown that if seizure activity can be decreased or stopped, the brain has time to heal and rewire,†she said.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.
This should be a pretty non-controversial “Yes” vote for legislators. At least, I hope it is.
I agree with you Laura ,they should vote yes to at least medical mj
Only problem is doctors and big pharma are making mega bucks on patients being addicted to opiate drugs ,
This bill might be a precursor to Indiana bringing back hanging for certain offenses. All of them.
Legalize hemp and MJ and stop this petty morality police crap. End Nixon and Reagan’s failed war on drugs.
If your going to blame anyone for the failure of the war on drugs you will have to blame Woodrow Wilson for starting said war. You really should learn your history. Odd that progressives in 1914 were against drugs but now they pro drug usage. Do you really want to step onto an airplane when the pilot might be higher than the plane will ever go?
How do times change.
Ok so you warped my comment into I am somehow advocating driving/flying high. Reagan flat out lied to America. Do you drink? The government choosing what drugs are ok and which aren’t generates more substance abuse problems. Too many people get filthy rich off the drug war for it to end.
Nothing was warped, simply pointing out that progressives started the drug war and now they think drugs are OK.
You are advocating the legalization of pot with this statement; “Legalize hemp and MJ and…”, and how do you propose the prevention of people operating machinery while high? You are not thinking this through, if you did you *have* to address my question.
Your flaw to think a persons substance abuse is due to government deciding what drugs are OK is laughable. By that logic if Indiana legalized meth then all of a sudden Indiana would not have any meth addicts or no one would smoke pot. Yet booze is legal and there are plenty of alcoholics in this country.
1982 Ronald Reagan declare illicit drugs a threat to “national security”.
1971 Nixon popularized the term “war on drugs”
1930 Federal Bureau of Narcotic established (Hoover)
1914 Representative Harrison (Dem), Harrison Narcotics Tax Act
1908 Theodore Roosevelt Opium Act
Is the internet great, or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m tellin’ ya, Google knows all and if it doesn’t there is always the Wayback Machine (https://archive.org/web/).
Hey, I completely agree with the industrial hemp legalization and they might as well okay the medicinal use, too. My heart goes out to the mothers whose children need the chance to see if it helps them. I don’t think Indiana is ready to legalize it for recreational use, but if we did, the new hotel would do well, with our “un-ban” on smoking.
You’re probably right about the hangings, Bandana. If we grew our own hemp, ropes should be cheap enough.
Hemp good.
MJ damn good.
Paying cops to catch bad people instead of mellow people better yet.
Hemp especially good for Kentucky farmers and Indiana farmers from what I’m starting to hear.
Import NO hemp.
Let our hard working farmers grow it.
Paid for by Common Sense Bureau Of America.
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