Legalizing Weed: 5 Notable Quotes From Indiana's Legalization of Industrial Hemp Farming

States like Indiana continue to fight to define their position on industrial hemp farming and its effect on the state.

The state passed a law in 2014 that legalized the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp, pending approval from the United State Drug Enforcement Administration, according to The Associated Press. A measure to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana, though, died in the state Senate this year.

Here are five quotes about the industrial hemp debate focusing on Indiana.

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1."There's some disagreement about just how close it is to marijuana. We just need more clarification about the differences."
– Indiana State Rep. Don Lehe, the AP, in April after a bill to separate industrial hemp from the marijuana definition failed in the state Senate after going through the state House of Representatives without opposition

2. "It's not like hemp is not grown around the world, and it's certainly well known we could grow hemp in Indiana. There was really no reason it should have ever been illegal to begin with. I think it's kind of a miraculous commodity, and it's foolish we don't use it."
– Indiana State Sen. Richard D. Young, who sponsored 2014 industrial hemp bill that passed Indiana general assembly with bipartisan support, The Indiana Lawyer.com, August 2014

3. "I think being able to grow hemp would be the No. 1 boost to our economy. From the agriculture industry to the processing industries – it could easily be grown and manufactured here."
– Brandon Pitcher, founder of Hemp Circle Industries, the Indiana Hemp Industries Association, June 15, 2015

4. "So many people do not know the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp. Everyone is concerned about knowing the difference."
– Jamie Campbell, founder and president of the Indiana Hemp Industrial Association, during testimony before a state legislative committee in 2104 after bringing in a variety of items made from hemp already sold in department stores and shops in Indiana, The Indiana Lawyer.com

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5. "I wish Kentucky wouldn't always be in front of us. When I see industrial hemp, I see money."
– Pam Patrick, an Indiana Farmers Union member, to a state legislative committee in January, 2014, according to the AP

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