Hemp beats the rap

US court rules hemp-based foods legal and safe Despite the efforts of the US Drug Enforcement Agency, hemp food enthusiasts in the US are now free to take it as they please. Already quite widely used in waffles, bread, cereal, vegetarian burgers and nutrition bars sold in US health food stores, the seed, oil, and nuts of the hemp plant are recognised as a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, minerals, iron, vitamin E, and the essential fatty acids Omega 3 and 6. But natural food companies have been embroiled in a three-year legal battle with the DEA, which wanted to maintain a ban on all hemp food products on the grounds that they contained marijuana, an illegal substance. The appeal court ruling, which came after the Canadian government and 100,000 health food consumers petitioned the DEA to reverse its stance, represents a victory for the US hemp industry and public interest groups including the Organic Consumers Association. - Polly Ghazi

7 July 2004

Polly Ghazi