FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 19, 1999

North Dakota Becomes the First State to Legalize Industrial Hemp

Bismarck, ND - On Saturday, April 17, 1999 North Dakota's Governor
Schafer signed HB 1428 legalizing industrial hemp by decreeing, "any
person in this state may plant, grow, harvest, possess, process, sell,
and buy industrial hemp."

On April 12, 1999 North Dakota's Senate passed industrial hemp bill
HB1428 by a landslide vote of 44-3. The week before, the House passed
the bill by 86-7.

The Commissioner of Agriculture will now be developing regulations
needed to implement the law which allows North Dakota farmers to legally
grow industrial hemp.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) now must address the system of
regulating industrial hemp in the U.S.

To full text of the new law is located at:
<http://ranch.state.nd.us/LR/text/BILL_INDEX/BI1428.html>

For further information contact:
Gov. Ed Schafer (701) 328-2200

rethinking paper,

Emily Miggins
[log in to unmask]
Earth Island Institute

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