North Dakota Farmers File Lawsuit Against DEA

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It's about time.
We have waited far too long.

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North Dakota Farmers File Lawsuit Against DEA to Grow Industrial Hemp
Plaintiffs Seek Federal Recognition of State-Issued Hemp Farming Licenses

BISMARCK, ND — Two North Dakota farmers filed a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota in an effort to end the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) obstruction of commercial hemp farming in the United States. If successful, the legal action would result in licensed hemp farmers receiving assurances that no federal agency could hold them criminally liable under the Controlled Substances Act. Vote Hemp's grassroots supporters are funding the legal action. A copy of the complaint is available online.

The farmers – State Rep. David Monson from Osnabrock and Wayne Hauge from Ray – were issued their state licenses to grow industrial hemp from North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson in February 2007. At that time the farmers applied for a DEA permit to grow industrial hemp and import live seed. Over the next few months, however, the agency's inaction on the applications fueled frustration in North Dakota's legislature. When lawmakers concluded that DEA had no intention of working cooperatively with the state's first-in-the-nation hemp farming rules, the North Dakota legislature voted overwhelmingly to drop the DEA licensing requirement from the statute.

"I applied for my North Dakota state license in January and was hopeful that DEA would act quickly and affirm my right to plant industrial hemp this year. Unfortunately, DEA has not responded in any way other than to state that it would take them a lot more time than the window of time I have to import seed and plant the crop," said Rep. David Monson, who is the Assistant Majority (Republican) Leader. "It appears that DEA really doesn't want to work with anyone to resolve the issue," Monson added.

One of the central arguments in the litigation is that industrial hemp is defined to be those varieties of Cannabis that have no drug value and are cultivated exclusively for fiber and seed. Although useless as a drug crop, industrial hemp plants are distinct varieties of Cannabis sativa L., the same species from which marijuana varieties come. DEA considers industrial hemp plants to be "marihuana," a controlled substance under Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C. §§ 801 et seq., the possession or production of which is subject to severe criminal penalties under that law, including property forfeiture.

MORE:
http://www.votehemp.com/PR/06-18-07_north_dakota_farmers.html

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This has been happening to Lakota Farmer Alex White Plume on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, to even greater extent!!!


http://www.hemphasis.net/Notable/notable_files/whiteplume.htm