State Lawmaker Wants To Legalize Growing Hemp

By Holliday Moore
Published: Thursday, January 12, 2017 - 9:32am
Updated: Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 9:39am

Arizona could make a lot more money if lawmakers legalized growing hemp for textile sales.

That’s the rationale Republican State Representative Sonny Borrelli made over a bill he proposed that could change the state criminal code and classify hemp separately from marijuana.

On Wednesday, Borrelli told fellow lawmakers who are worried about hemp's relation to marijuana, "You could smoke a whole rope, you're not going to get high," he said, then advised not smoking it at all, "You'll die of smoke inhalation and other complications."
 
It’s not that simple, said Deputy Pima County Attorney Kathleen Mayer. For one, she explained, it’s difficult for police to immediately determine whether it’s hemp or its cannabis when the weed is dried.