The opportunity for Native Americans to grow hemp on their lands put Hemp in the News this week. Since the late 1980’s Native Americans have benefited greatly from having casinos on their land. It has pulled many people out of poverty. Now that hemp cultivation is on the rise, there is hopeful speculation that hemp will be the next jackpot for Native Americans.
As of the Farm Bill of 2014, the US federal government has permitted the growing of hemp for research purposes only, along with permission from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Also in 2014, the Department of Justice granted permission to the Native American tribes to make their own laws with regards to cannabis.
CannaNative LLC, a Native-owned company based in San Diego, assists Native tribes in developing economic opportunities related to hemp and medical marijuana. They are currently negotiating with the Navajo Nation about farming industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp can be processed into a wealth of products, such as food, paper, and building materials. Although hemp stems from the same plant as marijuana, it contains only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component.
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