American Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Marijuana Reform in 2016 Presidential Election

LAS VEGAS, NV — (Marketwired) — 11/14/16 — Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) executives are pleased to report that last week’s 2016 elections marked a significant day for not only Presidential-Elect Donald Trump but for the marijuana sector as well. An unprecedented nine states had marijuana initiatives included in their ballot. Voters in four of those nine states (California, Nevada, Maine, and Massachusetts) made marijuana legal for recreational use and voters in another four states (Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota) approved medical access to marijuana. According to one news source, the cannabis trend is clear… “60% of Americans support legalizing weed, up from 31% in 2000.” And the “market for both recreational and medicinal marijuana is now projected to grow to $22 billion by 2020, up from $7 billion this year.”

Arkansas’ Medical Cannabis Act, in which “affordable dispensing” will give price breaks to low-income patients, was passed by 53%. California’s Adult Use of Marijuana Act, in which prior convictions can be expunged, was passed by 55.8%. Florida’s Use of Marijuana for Debilitating Conditions Initiative, for qualifying debilitating conditions, passed by a whopping 71%, 11 points more than the supermajority it needed. Maine’s Marijuana Legalization Act, which allows for home growing of up to six plants was passed by 50.3%. Massachusetts’ Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, which also allows for home growing of up to six plants, was passed by 53%. Montana’s Medical Marijuana Initiative, which allows marijuana to be sold at dispensaries, was passed by 57%. Nevada’s Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana, in which a patient or caregiver living 25 miles from the nearest dispensary can grow up to eight plants, was passed by 54%. North Dakota’s Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, in which a patient or caregiver living 40 miles from the nearest dispensary can grow up to eight plants, was passed by 63.7%. (Source: Freedom Leaf Magazine, Historic Results of the Marijuana Election 2016, Nov. 9, 2016)

Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) said, “The trend is apparent. Legalization of industrial hemp closely follows the legalization of recreational marijuana, provided it’s not already legal in the state. (Industrial hemp is so low in THC that you can’t smoke it… there are absolutely no psycho active effects at all.) This gives Hemp, Inc. a major advantage. Our multi-purpose industrial hemp decortication processing facility in Spring Hope, North Carolina is the only commercial, public company focused on processing industrial hemp on a large scale. We are years ahead in building the infrastructure to process industrial hemp and sizable amounts of hemp fiber, hemp hurd, and core. We can effectively grow and farm high fiber cultivars and high CBD cultivars, as well as current investigations in large scale commercial CBD extractions.” It is also important to note that California legalized not just marijuana but industrial hemp as well. To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and Kenaf grows, click here.

“This year’s election has widened access to cannabis, especially those seeking some sort of alternative treatment for severe illnesses. When you look at how the medical marijuana and industrial hemp sectors have progressed, it’s evident the tides have turned. Take Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas for example. Similar ballot measures failed. Fast forward to today. They collectively passed by roughly 63%. This was an even bigger electoral victory for marijuana reform since 2012, when Colorado and Washington first approved the drug’s recreational use,” said Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP).

Presidential-Elect Donald Trump fully supports medical marijuana. According to Extract.suntimes.com, Trump was quoted during a campaign rally in Sparks, NV saying, “The marijuana thing is such a big deal. I think medical should happen — don’t we agree?… And then I really believe we should leave it up to the states.” To hear Trump’s full response regarding marijuana legalization during his previous campaign rally, click here. Trump has apparently been a long-time believer that marijuana should be legalized. In 1990, at an event hosted by the Miami Herald, Trump said, then, “You have to legalize drugs to win that war.” With Trump’s stance on cannabis, hopefuls see great things for the medical marijuana and industrial hemp sectors in 2017.

According to Reason.com, “the consequences of this nearly complete sweep were dramatic. Prior to the election, four states with a combined population of 17 million (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) were willing to allow cannabis consumption without a doctor’s note. Now the number of pot-tolerant states has doubled, while their population has nearly quadrupled and includes one in five Americans. The long overdue conversion of California, which by itself accounts for 12 percent of the country’s population and 15 percent of its economic output, carries special political and cultural weight.” Last week’s elections “also gave us the first two medical marijuana states in the South and increased the number of states with such laws from 25 to 28, meaning states that refuse to let patients have whatever relief cannabis can give them are now in the minority.”

Marijuana Majority Chairman Tom Angell, in response to Trump pledging to respect state marijuana laws, said, “Reversing course and going against the tide of history would present huge political problems that the new administration does not need.”

In North Dakota, Valley News Live reported:

Implementing Measure 5: Medical Cannabis for North Dakota “Just like our neighbors to the East in Minnesota, North Dakotan’s can now get a prescription for medical marijuana. The issue was on our ballot Tuesday as Measure 5. Voters easily passed it with an almost 65% approval.” (Read full article here.)

The New York Times reported:

Californians Legalize Marijuana in Vote That Could Echo Nationally “California, Massachusetts and Nevada legalized marijuana on Tuesday (11/8/16) in what advocates said was a reflection of the country’s changing attitude toward the drug. With the addition of California, Massachusetts and Nevada, the percentage of Americans living in states where marijuana use is legal for adults rose above 20 percent, from 5 percent.” (Read full article here.)

In Montana, the Flathead Beacon reported:

Montana Passes Measure to Expand Medical Marijuana “Montana voters approved an expansion of medical marijuana, one of four citizen initiatives on the ballot, which is the most in any state election since 2010. The passage of Initiative 182 means that marijuana dispensaries will be able to re-open after they closed in August to comply with a state Supreme Court order.” (Read full article here.)

In Florida, WFTV reported:

Medical Marijuana Passes: What’s Next? “Florida voters made it clear in 2016 that they support medical marijuana. Amendment 2 passed Tuesday night with 71 percent of voters approving the measure to legalize medical marijuana.” (Watch full newscast here.)

Washington, DC‘s The Washington Post reported on:

Medical Marijuana Victories in Florida, North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana Turn the Tide “The wins come as rigorous scientific evidence is mounting that marijuana or its components may have beneficial medical effects.” (Read full article here.)

Time.com reported:

How the 2016 Election Became a Watershed for Weed “The year of 2016 may go down as a watershed for weed, the election when legalization shifted from being an experiment in the American West to something primed for the mainstream.” (Read full article here.)

USA Today reported:

Legal Marijuana Is One Thing Many Americans Agreed on Tuesday Night “American voters widely backed loosening marijuana laws across the country on Tuesday, permitting recreational use on both coasts, and dramatically expanding the number of people who can use pot as medicine or just for fun.” (Read full article here.)

The Verge reported:

This Election Was a Tipping Point for Marijuana Legalization “California is the state with the largest economy and — now that it has legalized pot — the national weed industry has tripled in size. In fact, California’s marijuana industry could be bigger than its famed wine businesses. (Read full article here.)

In Denver, The Joint Blog reported:

Denver Voters Legalize Cannabis Use at Public Venues “Denver voters have given approval to Initiative 300. Initiative 300 allows cannabis to be consumed onsite at various adult-only venues. This includes bars, nightclubs and other such outlets. This gives cannabis consumers legal outlets to use the plant outside of a private residence.” (Read full article here.)

For states where industrial hemp has not been legalized yet, there is no need to wait for an election cycle. An Industrial hemp bill can be passed in a state while Legislature is in session. If the state House and Senate both pass a bill, the Governor can either sign or veto the bill. If signed by the Governor, the bill becomes law. This is how most of the 32 states that legalized hemp passed their industrial hemp laws. To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and Kenaf grows, click here. To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.’s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here. (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

This week, the 5th Annual Marijuana Business Conference & Expo will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 15 – 18, 2016. An estimated 7,500 cannabis industry leaders from all over the country and world will attend the longest running, largest show for the cannabis industry. Curated by the independent journalists behind Marijuana Business Daily, the entire marijuana business ecosystem will be under one roof. To register for the expo, click here.

ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP

Hemp is a durable natural fiber that is grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. It’s one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. Hemp is used as a nutritional food product for humans and pets, building materials, paper, textiles, cordage, organic body care and other nutraceuticals, just to name a few. It has thousands of other known uses. A hemp crop requires half the water alfalfa uses and can be grown without the heavy use of pesticides. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop on a large scale, according to the Congressional Resource Service. However, with rapidly changing laws and more states gravitating towards industrial hemp and passing an industrial hemp bill, that could change. Currently, the majority of hemp sold in the United States is imported from China and Canada, the world’s largest exporters of the industrial hemp crop.

To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and Kenaf grows, click here.

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.’s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here. (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

HOW HEMP CAN CHANGE THE WORLD Industrial, medicinal and commercial properties of hemp have been known to mankind for decades. Cultivating hemp does not require any particular climate or soil, and is thus found in all parts of the world and has been found to be a better alternative than other raw materials. Hemp products can be recycled, reused and are 100% biodegradable. The growth speed of the plant is fast enough to meet the increasing industrial and commercial demand for these products. Switching to hemp products will help save the environment, leaving a cleaner and greener planet for the next generation.

“The hemp crop grows dense and vigorously. Sunlight cannot penetrate the plants to reach the ground, and this means the crop is normally free of weeds. Its deep roots use ground water and reduce its salinity. Also, erosion of topsoil is limited, thereby reducing water pollution. The roots give nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil. After the harvest, this soil makes excellent compost amendments for other plants, and hemp cultivation can follow the rotation of agriculture with wheat or soybean. In fact, the same soil can be used to grow hemp for many years, without losing its high quality. The hemp plant absorbs toxic metals emitted by nuclear plants into the soil, such as copper, cadmium, lead and mercury.” (Source: www.HempBenefits.org)

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.’s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here. (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.’S VIDEO UPDATES “Hemp, Inc. Presents” is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Watch as Hemp, Inc., the #1 leader in the industrial hemp industry, engages its shareholders and the public through each step in bringing back the hemp decorticator as described in the “Freedom Leaf Magazine” article “The Return of the Hemp Decorticator” by Steve Bloom.

Freedom Leaf Magazine, one of the preeminent news resources for the cannabis, medical marijuana, and industrial hemp industry in America, is published by Freedom Leaf, Inc., a fully reporting, audited, publicly traded company on OTC Markets. Stay in the loop with Freed Leaf Magazine as it continues to deliver the good news in marijuana reform with some of the most compelling art, entertainment, and lifestyle-driven industry news in the cannabis/hemp sector. On the go? Download the Freedom Leaf mobile app to stay connected as they transform the delivery of cannabis news and information across the digital landscape. Get the mobile app on Apple iOS or Google Play.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEMP ASSOCIATION

NHA represents hemp farmers, processors, manufacturers, start-up businesses, entrepreneurial endeavors, and retailers and strives to build a viable industrial hemp economy by providing education about the benefits of hemp and providing expert consultation to producers and processors entering the hemp industry. NHA has developed close relationships with local and state government agencies to establish regulations that benefit the hemp industry across the nation. We provide a wealth of expertise in fields ranging from mining and agriculture to hemp materials processing and the latest developments pertaining to laws and regulations. For more information on the National Hemp Association, visit www.NationalHempAssociation.org.

HEMP, INC.’S TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) seeks to benefit many constituencies from a “Cultural Creative” perspective, thereby not exploiting or endangering any group. CEO of Hemp, Inc., Bruce Perlowin, is positioning the company as a leader in the industrial hemp industry, with a social and environmental mission at its core. Thus, the publicly traded company believes in “up streaming” a portion of its profits back to its originator, in which some cases will one day be the American small farmer — cultivating natural, sustainable products as an interwoven piece of nature. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results — that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits — the triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support its sustainability goal.

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To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and Kenaf grows, click here.

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.’s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here. (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

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