Quick Hits (page 2)
Foods containing hemp face impending DEA ban
By: Frank Green (Union-Tribune, [image by AP])
The use of hemp in corn chips, frozen waffles and other foodstuffs will be nipped in the bud next month under a new ruling by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Any cannabis products intended for human consumption will not be allowed to be manufactured or sold after April 21, the agency stated March 27th.
A trade group representing dozens of companies that mix hemp oils and fiber into their products - including San Diego County-based Govinda's Fitness Foods and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap - said it plans to file a brief today in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco seeking a stay of the ban.
Several executives at companies distributing hemp-related goods threatened acts of civil disobedience if the ruling is enforced.
Hemp contains trace elements of the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is found in marijuana. U.S. drug laws list THC as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
"We expect most of the public to abide by the ban," DEA spokeswoman Rogene Waite said.
Sales of hemp products rose to $140 million last year, although food containing hemp accounted for only $6 million of the industry.
Pretzels, tortilla chips, granola and dozens of other edibles are produced under such brands as Hempola, Nativa and Nature's Path.
The DEA added that the ban does not apply to hemp fiber used in industrial products such as paper, rope and clothing, and sterilized cannabis seeds and oils in animal feed and soap.
But companies that use hemp said the exemption likely won't apply to imported hemp oil and fiber subsequently used in the production of goods.
"They're not exempting the import of actual oil, just the manufactured product," said David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner's and chairman of the Hemp Industry Association's food and oils committee.
The production of hemp is illegal in the United States, and virtually all of the material used by Dr. Bronner's and other companies is imported from Canada.
Under the ban, Dr. Bronner's, which posted revenue of $8 million last year, said it would have to reformulate virtually its entire product line, a potentially disastrous turn for the company.
Dr. Bronner's said it has seen its business jump by 50 percent since it began adding hemp to its health soaps in 1999.
"Our product identity is wrapped up in hemp," Bronner said.
Bronner said he nevertheless is optimistic that the court will issue a stay of the DEA ruling and ultimately overturn the hemp ban.
The DEA originally issued an "interpretive rule" banning hemp in food in October 2001. But the circuit court subsequently issued a stay requested by the hemp industry that remains in effect.
However, the DEA's new "final rules" on the issue will automatically begin enforcement of the ban next month if unsuccessfully challenged in court, the agency said.
At Govinda's Fitness Foods, the ban would likely mean the end of production of its popular Ginger-Chia, Fruit Combo and Carob-Nut hemp bars, which are marketed with the motto "The Higher Taste."
Govinda's owner Larry Gatpandan could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon. But in an interview last year, he estimated that the hemp bars represent about 20 percent of Govinda's revenue.
Gatpandan also was adamant about hemp's non-psychoactive properties.
"You'd have to eat 500 pounds of hemp to get even a slight buzz," he said at the time.
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Mary Jane'z Novelties
Growin' Our Own (page 2)
The Supply Side of Things (Final part)
By: Elmore Stone
To read part 1 click here. To read part 2 click here.
The expendables.
If the global suppliers and their immediate underlings, the intermediaries, are untouchable by governments and the law, it stands to reason that there are people who are touchable or arrestable, take your pick.
Money, enough of it, can buy or at least rent just about anything. The issue there is making sure you have enough of it. Most people don't. There just never seems to be enough money for one reason or another. Which is why, by the by, there is the expendable class of people.
The drug trade is nothing more than a vertical ladder. There are those at the top of the ladder, in the middle and, naturally, at the bottom. The expendables are at the bottom and in the middle of the ladder. They ain't got the cash, baby. They ain't the power. And that is exactly why they are expendable.
The farmers most certainly fall into the expendable class. Most are flat broke. The poppies are their cash crop for the year and they work very, very hard to make sure the crop is not destroyed by weather, animals, etc. Farmers can also be replaced with amazing ease. No big deal.
The same holds true with the buyers/sellers of the raw, or preferably cooked, opium. While the buyer/seller has quite a bit more cash than the farmer, just about anyone does, he is not to be considered anywhere near in the same class a global supplier. Not even close. The buyer/seller too can be replaced with relative ease. His loss is not a show stopper by any means.
We must now jump over the next few rungs of the ladder, the global suppliers, their immediate underlings, the intermediaries and the regional or country distributors -- the untouchables. From this point on, this last category, all people connected with the drug trade or drug use are expendable. The state, province or county suppliers, the various mules used to move drugs from place to place, the city suppliers, right on down to the filthy pusher on your local street corner. And, of course, any user of drugs is definitely expendable.
Almost all busts happen in that last category. The big money has already been raked in, run through the laundromat, invested and taxed. The global suppliers are happy. The regional or country distributors are happy. Governments are happy. The people that matter are happy and that, in this business, is what counts. The product was paid for and shipped. There are no refunds or exchanges and there damn well is no customer service window.
Haven't you ever wondered why there is no major announcement on your local T.V. news program about the government making a really huge bust? Tons upon tons of drugs seized. Hundreds of millions or billions of dollars confiscated. Millions of dollars of property seized. Politicians strutting before the cameras and preening their corrupt feathers. 'Look at me ... look at me'. Now you know why.
Other supply side things.
Remember Afghanistan? The country President Bush bombed back into the stone age (which was not too difficult as the Afghans were already there) a couple of years ago? Remember that? Well to make a very long and boring story short, the Taliban are gone, replaced by a hand picked, pro-western, government. And the poppy industry is thriving. Boy howdy! It is estimated, from various news sources, that this year's poppy crop should produce approximately 2000 tons of opium. About double what the golden triangle annually produces. Though, to be fair, the quality of the products shipped from the triangle are superior to those produced in Afghanistan.
This is nothing but "all good news," for producers, suppliers, governments and consumers alike. More competition should lower prices to a degree. Afghanistan and other governments will get the hard currency they so desperately need and consumers should have a wider choice of opiate based drugs to choose from. The same, I should think, will hold true for hashish. We shall see.
I suspect that we will see on T.V. or read in the newspapers about a couple of 'slash and burn' propaganda news stories produced by the anti-drug minority, DEA, et al. A couple of hectares (2.46 acres) up in smoke and the politicians will jump before the whirling cameras strutting and preening their corrupt feathers again. 'Look at me ... look at me'.
Oh yeah, it will look impressive but it will mean nothing. As I stated earlier, farmers are expendable. A couple of hectares up in smoke is basically no loss at all. They'll be back in business for the following season. On the other hand, a couple hundred thousand hectares up in smoke and now you have something to talk about. But that is not likely to happen. Far too much big money is at stake and those on the receiving end of all that money know it.
Commencing about mid-year, maybe a little later, you should start seeing a change in retail prices along with a wider variety of available products to choose from. Just don't become another statistic in the expendable column.
Enjoy your shopping.
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Pipeline (page 2)
Jeff and Tracy Promote Worldwide Coming Out Parties
By: Tracy Johnson (jeffandtracy@jeffandtracy.com)
Jeff and Tracy, the Oregon couple who came out of the pot closet with full page newspaper ads in Portland, San Francisco and Seattle proclaiming "We're Jeff and Tracy. We're Your Good Neighbors. We Smoke Pot." are at it again. This time they intend to outdo themselves by promoting worldwide Coming Out of the Pot Closet parties.
The in-home gatherings, entitled Jeff and Tracy's Coming Out Pot Luck, are intended to motivate regular people who smoke pot to gather together in homes all across the planet proclaiming openly that they currently do or have smoked marijuana.
The Kick-Off is to take place in as many homes as possible on April 20, 2003 with other parties taking place on an ongoing basis. The goal? To change the counter culture stereotype of the average pot smoker by gathering as many photos of attendees as possible and publicizing them, along with each location where a gathering is taking place, on the couple's web site: www.jeffandtracy.com. The aim is to have representation from each major city across America as well as every country on the globe.
Attendees are asked to wear business attire and be prepared to have a digital photo taken of themselves for publication on the web site. Each person is to bring a favorite munchie dish to share with the group and Tracy emphasizes "No 'special' ingredients please. Let's remember these gatherings are not only for people who currently smoke pot. It is necessary to respect those in attendance who do not consume marijuana due to employment or other risks. We are getting together with one voice to change the image and stereotype of the average pot smoker and to promote a sense of solidarity worldwide. We are sending the message that the war on marijuana smokers must come to an end."
For further information and to register your intention to participate, send email to: jeffandtracy@jeffandtracy.com
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Dakota Joseph Arts
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