BRING BACK HEMP
Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)

Regarding the article about industrial hemp [Herald-Sun, Nov.  30]: Efforts to legalize hemp gained force in September, 2003 when the Departments of Agriculture in all 50 states supported revisions to federal rules to allow "development of domestic industrial hemp production by American farmers and manufacturers."

In Europe, much of the hemp fiber is used to make composites such as auto dashboards and door panels, not only because they are recyclable but because the hemp-molding process takes one minute as opposed to nine minutes with petroleum-based composites, a cost-saving in time and energy.  Also, cross pollination with industrial hemp would put the U.S.  marijuana growers out of business.  How could the DEA or Congress object to that?

The writer is vice chairwoman of the North American Industrial Hemp Council.

GALE GLENN, Durham