Is this a banned plant?

I think they sell hemp seed at the fishing tackle shop.
Looks pretty much the same, but, I'm told, its like smoking old rope.

 

Oh my gosh Ive nearly fell off my chair laughing at some of the posts here.. highly amusing (in a good, funny way)

 

Myself and many of my family, including grand children(not young) have rubbed the leaves but none of us can smell any sort of odour coming from them.
I suppose I can always plead ignorance

 

Or they could be used for hedging!

 

Just remember the key phrase "in good faith"

 

Pete is correct it is Hemp, which belongs to the Cannabis family but is not the illegal one. My son buys hemp seed for his fishing and we do put it in with the seed for the birds as we mix our own bird seed. I wouldn't however pot it up as someone may get the wrong impression.

 

Hemp...pot...hmmm

 

My understanding is that both C. sativa and C. indica are illegal. This is because plants that taste like 'old rope' contain low levels of naughty chemicals, and many naughty varieties are hybrids between the two. It's the germination, cultivation, processing and possession of the plant/drug that are illegal, not the seeds. Hence 'potting' one up is a bad move. The seeds of both species are totally legal and have a variety of legitimate uses. Even experimental agricultural plots in reputable universities that are growing a low/no drugs variety as an experimental fibre crop need to have a Home Office licence...but they still get ripped up by locals keen to sample them!

 

I've dug out and scanned one of my holiday photos from 2003. This is my tour guide stood next to asome of the shorter Cannabis sativa in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. The tall ones were in a ditch and thus inaccessible. I'm most disappointed I've not got a photo of myself laughing next to one cos I remember thinking how funny it was they were growing everywhere.

 

I need a closer look. Can you dig it up and send it to me ?

 

If you have rubbed the leaves and are not covered in blood then you can discount Cleome as it has spines underneath!!

 

Maybe check to see if there are spines underneath first and thereby avoid the possible experience?

If you rubbed the leaves and the vapours got you high, would you saying to a policeman "hey man, it was in good faith" get you off?