US Botanic Garden could be home to cannabis plants if Congressional lawmakers have their way

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A measure on Capitol Hill would introduce cannabis plants to the national garden

Three Democratic representatives, Barbara Lee, Earl Blumenauer, and Eleanor Holmes Norton have begun to think that the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC, could be of great use for cannabis cultivation. If a bill becomes a reality, it would be the first time in history that these grounds would see this type of plant growth.

This type of request was sent in a letter last week (during 4/20) to the institution, formally requesting that hemp be included as part of their exhibit catalog. Because hemp is used for the production of cannabidiol (CBD), the representatives suggested that “the plants could ideally be located in the ‘medicinal plants’ part of the Botanical Garden,” especially since the benefits of CBD are considerably curative in many conditions today.

The letter stated, “Given that hemp is legal and has national and bipartisan support, now is an appropriate time for the Botanical Garden to display hemp plants. We understand that the display of hemp plants would be the first time the Botanical Garden would display cannabis in its collection.”

While it is true that marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal framework, cannabis plants with less than 0.3% are considered hemp, as stipulated in the three-year-old agricultural bill, and the representatives are relying on that analogy to give them a foothold to get their idea implemented.

There is no doubt that even though prohibition has prevailed for many years, US history has been positively impacted by the role that hemp has played. Since its federal legalization, the plant has seen massive growth, and lawmakers have predicted a market worth $26.6 billion by 2025.