Plants the federal government wants to ban

[Bluetongue]

I'd appreciate it if you'd check out this link and let me know your thoughts

http://www.gardenfreedom.com

[Rimbaud]

Love the site; I hate it when govt always wants to "look after" people like this. I agree with laws like "don't drive recklessly" or "don't assault people", because obviously they affect others. But what is the sense in banning a plant that was consciously, deliberately obtained (perhaps grown from seed or struck from cutting, which might take many months), and about which the grower often knows more than the government bureaucrats who banned it (plenty of examples of this...), and which the grower has no intention of harvesting and selling to unsuspecting innocent kiddies?

There are so many things that you can hurt yourself with; to "ban" a beautiful plant is just lame (and monty pythonesque)

I think the issue is much clearer than the purported medicinal value of some of these plants.., more to do with personal liberties.

(great link BT)

[Bluetongue]

Thanks for your comments Rimbaud. I don't know enough about the plants and their uses to even begin to understand the government's problem with them, but yes there seemed to be a Monty Pythonesque quality to it all.

[rowan]

I am frightened for the future - where will it all stop?

[MattW]

I completely agree with Rimbaud. Here is another fine example of the Government trying to control something that does not need more controls. There are a lot of plants on that list I am not familiar with, but one I am familiar with is Phalaris (SP?). This is one of the main pasture grasses in my area, it is hardy and spreads quickly (which make it a weed in some places), it is one of the few grasses we still have after an extended dry spell. So first how do you remove it from your pasture, while still being able to feed your stock? and what will you replace it with? Will the Government pay for this?

What we can do about it, is follow the web-sites advice an enter a submission to your local MP to voice your disapproval, and get as many others as you can to follow suit.

[roughbarked]

monty pythonesque.. The department of silly walks.