Hemp Awareness much needed

Hemp Awareness Week has brought much needed information to New Zealanders, ALCP Ikaroa-Rawhiti candidate Michael Appleby says.

Hemp Awareness Week ran from the 10th to the 16th on June and gave the public the opportunity to win hemp prize packs from New Hemisphere and The Hemp Farm.

"I hope Hemp Awareness Week will become an annual event," Mr Appleby said.

"We would like to see a Hemp Food In Schools programme introduced to improve the nutrition of all Kiwi kids."

New Hemisphere have just harvested dozens of hectares of Hemp in South Canterbury but Autralasian regulations are still preventing many types of hemp food to being traded in New Zealand.

"The bloody Aussies expect the Kiwi hemp food industry to pay $80,000 to test if Hemp food affects roadside THC saliva tests used in Australia," Mr Appleby said.

"It is ridiculous because Hemp Seed does not contain any THC anyway and road-side saliva tests for cannabis are illegal in New Zealand. Why is New Zealand's sovereignty being undermined in such a blatant fashion? If it wasn't for the actions of Australian Police Force, Hemp Food would already be available in this country."

Mr Appleby said Hemp was nature's healthiest source of protein and omega essential-oils and Minister Nikki Kaye should be putting pressure on Australia to ease food regulations.