Hemp could boost regions

[OZ Stoners]

NATIONALS MP Mark Coulton is backing moves to legalise industrial hemp production to help boost regional economics and generate jobs.

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MARK Coulton is backing moves to legalise industrial hemp production to help boost regional economics and generate jobs - and the NSW Nationals MP is also at ease with the more popular push to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes.

“I do have a view on medicinal cannabis - for the record - if it is obviously having beneficial effects on terminally ill people then we should not be denying those people the right to that medication,” he said last week in the House of Representatives.

Mr Coulton said industrial hemp is an entirely different crop that goes back thousands of years but suffers greatly because of its appearance.

“It looks pretty well much the same as a cannabis plant, but it does not have the same qualities as, or affect humans in the same way as, the drug cannabis,” he said.

“Hemp can be used in various ways. The seed can be harvested at the same time for oils, lubricants, biodiesel and health foods. The herb, which is the inner stalk, can be combined with other materials to create building materials. The bast, the outer stalk, can be used in composites to replace plastic and can be further treated to produce a fabric that is very durable and has lots of qualities. Finally, the leaves can be used as stockfeed.”

However, Mr Coulton said it is currently illegal in NSW to grow industrial hemp; a law which needs revisiting.

“I understand the reasons why up until this point it has been so, but I think this issue needs another look,” he said.

“In my electorate in the Macquarie Valley there is a group of farmers investigating growing hemp. It uses less water per hectare than cotton and is a great rotation crop.

“It is deep-rooted and certainly frees up the soil for further crops.

“Because of the diversity of the product, the potential for employment in regional areas in value-adding what comes through is quite large.

“The problem is you need to grow enough in the first place to have the infrastructure to produce the end products

[MongyMan]

  Mr Coulton said it is currently illegal in NSW to grow industrial hemp; a law which needs revisiting.

 

Catch up Mark Coulton......Hemp is already legal in NSW and has been for a fair few years now.....Hemp Industry Act 2008 NSW

 

Are you sure you're the right man to be representing your constituents regarding cannabis when you don't even know this basic fact?

 

MongyMan

[Sylar420]

Catch up Mark Coulton......Hemp is already legal in NSW and has been for a fair few years now.....Hemp Industry Act 2008 NSW

 

Are you sure you're the right man to be representing your constituents regarding cannabis when you don't even know this basic fact?

 

MongyMan

has it not been heavily regulated and extremely hard to get licensing and permits? i had friends whose family wanted to grow hemp once their tobacco contract ran out and they gave up due to the red tape so i was told