A measure to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp in Illinois passed the state’s House Rules Committee by a unanimous vote of 4-0 yesterday, sendin g it towards a full House vote. The bill passed the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee last month with a close 9-8 vote.

Under the legislation, House Bill 2668 – the Industrial Hemp Act – the Department of Agriculture would license individuals to cultivate hemp.

The measure’s passage and consideration comes at a time when federal lawmakers are discussing legislation to end hemp prohibition on the national level.

Congressional research from 2012 found that we import over $400,000,000 in hemp from other countries – the same research found that the hemp market likely consist of over 25,000 products, making it by far one of the most diverse and useful plants on the planet. Despite this, congressional research from 2005 found that America is the only developed nation in the world that doesn’t allow for industrial hemp production.

– TheJointBlog