Arizona Approves Hemp Farming, Joining 35 States Nationwide
By this time next year Arizona farmers will have the freedom to plant hemp as a major crop, as the plant is removed from contraband status
Predicting it will have a "positive economic impact," Gov. Doug Ducey signed off on legislation authorizing hemp as a legitimate crop.
Proponents of the plant successfully argued its fibers are good for clothing, soap, and other retail items, and that it grows well in Arizona's heat.
The bill has taken nearly two decades to pass, with opponents worried the cannabis based plant would become an excuse for growing illegal marijuana. Others feared it violated federal laws.
But, the feds removed hemp from its controlled substances list in 2015, so long as it contained less than .03-percent of THC, the psychotropic properties needed to make marijuana.
