By LaKeshia N. Myers
Representative LaKeshia Myers
There has been much discussion recently from some politicians about banning Delta-8 and other hemp products. The concerns arise from rising use of teens getting sick from using too much hemp and mixing it with other substances, for the purpose of intoxication.
For those who don’t know the difference between hemp and marijuana, hemp plants contain no more than 0.3 percent (by dry weight) of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive (“high”) substance found in marijuana. In other words, cannabis plants with 0.3 percent or less of THC are hemp. Cannabis plants with more than 0.3 percent THC are marijuana. Basically hemp does not get you high, marijuana does.
You may have noticed stores dedicated to hemp-based products (lotions, oils, etc.) cropping up across the state in the past few years. This is because Wisconsin legalized hemp in 2018. However, hemp has a storied past in Wisconsin, and in my opinion, if done correctly, could have a very lucrative future. During the mid-twentieth century, Wisconsin actually led the nation in the production of hemp. At one point, during WWII, we had forty-two hemp mills across the state making rope, cloth and other products, but in the 1970s, industrial hemp became listed as a drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act and was deemed illegal.
Since becoming legalized again, farmers are producing hemp, and plenty of businesses have popped up including True Cannabliss, which is located on the Northwest side of Milwaukee. Sales of hemp products and agricultural production of hemp have continued to boom. Everything from plastics to building materials can be made from hemp.
Expansion of hemp production in Wisconsin could be the “x factor” needed to spur our economy forward.
While the recent marijuana reclassification proposal supported by the Biden administration would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. It would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use. While I believe we are closer to medicinal marijuana being legalized in Wisconsin, I believe we should also focus on expanding our market share of hemp in the state. With regulations, we should be okay.
As with everything, we must proceed with caution, but we must proceed. For far too long we have languished behind other states in our acceptance and regulation of cannabis and related products. It’s time for us to enter the twenty-first century; our economy depends on it.