The controversy of Hemp vs. Marijuana is alive and well in the state of Nebraska. Farmers say the region has ideal conditions for hemp farming, but state officials see hemp as a gateway to marijuana and are making it a very challenging crop to pursue.
Plant geneticist, Ismail Dweikat, has an office at the University of Nebraska. In 2014 Obama introduced the Farm Bill, which permits the growing of hemp for research purposes at universities. However, Dweikat and other researchers are experiencing many difficulties and restrictions when trying to import hemp seeds from Canada.
Hemp resembles marijuana with its five-fingered leaves, but it contains a mere fraction of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in marijuana. However, it will likely be many years before hemp can be grown in Nebraska, due to the government road blocks against the crop.
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