WA Liquor-Cannibis Control– You Can’t Grow Hemp Without License

Wednesday, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Control Board released a public reminder that seemed a little curious, especially as to why it was sent.

  What's the difference between hemp and cannabis?

The release read in part:

"This is a reminder that in order to grow hemp in Washington State, you must have a valid Washington State Hemp License. Even licensed I-502 producers must have a valid hemp license to produce the hemp plant. Licensed hemp producers must have their hemp harvests inspected and tested by a WSDA inspector prior to harvesting their crop."

Hemp is part of the cannabis family, although the legal definition is hemp has a THC (the chemical that makes you high) content of 0.3 percent or lower, while cannabis is higher than 0.3.   Some experts say the amount of THC in hemp is unlikely enough to produce the high effect, others say hemp can sometimes contain higher levels.

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Hemp is used for industrial purposes, such as rope, fiberboard, animal bedding, and other products. There are people who utilize hemp seeds for various medicinal purposes such as constipation, but there's no concrete medical evidence as to its usefulness.

But given the state of things today, it would not be surprising if there are people who are trying to circumvent the cannabis laws by growing hemp on the chance they might be able to use it for pot-like purposes. If you look up information about hemp online, especially pictures, many of the searches will give you pictures of marijuana plants.

Either way, the LCCB released was interesting...