Idaho as a state has a ban on growing hemp. The gem state is the last state that has not legalized industrial hemp. On the federal level, it has been legal to grow hemp since the 2018 farm bill passed. For Idaho, the process of trying to make it legal for farmers again made its way into the hands of Idaho lawmakers who voted on the matter today.

The bill (House Bill 126) made its way to the House for a vote was asking to authorize the production, processing, transportation and research of hemp in the state of Idaho. The vote passed, 44 to 26.

To be clear, this is not something with THC that can get anyone high. Hemp has been used all through history for all types of things from clothes to supplies. This would not have any effect of the state of Idaho's current drug laws, except to clarify and differentiate between hemp and marijuana. With hemp containing less than 0.3% THC. Also in this bill, if someone wanted to grow hemp in the state they would need a license compliant with federal law.

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Farmers in Idaho have been wanting to grow this crop but have legally been unable, until hopefully now. Or at least very soon. This hemp bill will eventually help earn the state revenue through taxes. Upfront however, according to Idaho Statesman,  there is a $150,000 bill to get everything up and running, but the state will make that money back fairly quickly.

Now that it has passed in the house, this bill moves on to the Senate for approval. Even if it passes there however the whole process to get it going and have the first growing season wouldn't start until maybe spring of 2022.

 

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

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