What if we knew of a renewable resource that could be used for clothing, paper, food, rope, and more? What if the cultivation of that substance could provide loads of new jobs for people and boost the economy?

All of the above is true. The problem is that cultivation of the substance is illegal. The substance? Hemp.

In fact, it has only been fairly recently that hemp became a bad thing. The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970 formally prohibited cultivation of Hemp. Prior to 1970 it was was used for various purposes. Paper, clothing, rope, etc. Back in the early days of the company, Levi Strauss jeans were made from hempen canvas. Henry Ford even built a prototype car from biocomposite materials, using agricultural fiber such as hemp.

It was also important to America during WWII.

During World War II, domestic hemp production became crucial when the Japanese cut off Asian supplies to the U.S. American farmers who grew hemp were even exempt from military duty. A 1942 U.S. Department of Agriculture film called "Hemp For Victory" extolled the agricultural might of hemp and called for hundreds of thousands of acres to be planted for the war effort.

North American Industrial Hemp Council provides the following facts about hemp:

*Hemp has been grown for at least the last 12,000 years for fiber (textiles and paper) and food. It has been effectively prohibited in the United States since the 1950s.

*George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.

*Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton.

*Fabrics made of at least one-half hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics.

*Hemp can be made into fine quality paper. The long fibers in hemp allow such paper to be recycled several times more than wood-based paper.

*Hemp grows well in a variety of climates and soil types. It is naturally resistant to most pests, precluding the need for pesticides. It grows tightly spaced, out-competing any weeds, so herbicides are not necessary. It also leaves a weed-free field for a following crop.

*Hemp can displace cotton which is usually grown with massive amounts of chemicals harmful to people and the environment. 50% of all the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton.

*Hemp can displace wood fiber and save forests for watershed, wildlife habitat, recreation and oxygen production, carbon sequestration (reduces global warming), and other values.

*Hemp can yield 3-8 dry tons of fiber per acre. This is four times what an average forest can yield.

Why am I bringing any of this up? Recently, Barney Frank and Ron Paul united to push a bill legalizing industrial hemp farming.

Liberal Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and libertarian Rep. Ron Paul, the Texas Republican who made a fine show in the GOP presidential primaries last year, find common ground today on hemp farming:

Their new bill, "The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 otherwise known as HR 1866, would remove restrictions on the cultivation of non-psychoactive industrial hemp. They claim nine other sponsors, nearly equally divided between the parties.

Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit advocacy group promoting the legalization of industrial hemp. Please consider writing your representative and urging him or her to support the legalization of industrial hemp farming.