Florence City Council mulls hemp industry

By Sarah Rose

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Posted 1.27.16

The Florence City Council discussed hemp Monday during a workshop before a council meeting.

"It was more or less to inform council and to invite citizens to learn about the benefits of hemp," Councilman Mike Vendetti said.

No one is currently growing hemp in Florence, he said, but it is legal.

"Hemp is required by the state to have than less than .3 percent of THC, an ingredient in marijuana," he said. "If there's more, it would have to be destroyed."

Hemp can be used for items, such as wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper and fuel.

"Hemp is very useful," Vendetti said. "There is a tremendous demand for it. It has hundreds of uses."

If hemp is grown here, it would help to boost Florence's economy, he said.

"There's really three businesses that are involved in hemp," Vendetti said. "You have the growing, you have the testing and you have the people who make products out of hemp. It would grow very well in Fremont County. "

He said the council decided to have the meeting after a local citizen encouraged them to talk about it.

Farmers attended the workshop, he said, but he wasn't sure if anyone at this time is interested in growing hemp.

Vendetti said he doesn't know if hemp will be talked about during a council meeting in the near future.

He said his views on hemp may not be shared by other city council members.

For more information on hemp in Colorado, visit http://growhempcolorado.com/index.php/co-rules-regs.

Source: http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_29415961/florence-city-council-mulls-hemp-industry