Lewist
Member
RANKFORT, Ky. — The U.S. Senate’s top leader said he wants to bring hemp production back into the national mainstream by removing it from the list of controlled substances.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a group of hemp advocates in his home state of Kentucky that he will introduce legislation to legalize the crop as an agricultural commodity. The versatile crop has been grown on an experimental basis in a number of states in recent years.
“It’s now time to take the final step and make this a legal crop,” McConnell said
McConnell acknowledged there was “some queasiness” about hemp when the 2014 Farm Bill cleared the way for states to regulate it for research and pilot programs. There’s much broader understanding now that hemp is a “totally different” plant than its illicit cousin, he said.
“I think we’ve worked our way through the education process of making sure everybody understands this is really a different plant,” the Republican said.
McConnell said he plans to have those discussions with Attorney General Jeff Sessions to emphasize the differences between the plants. See more on - thecannabist
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a group of hemp advocates in his home state of Kentucky that he will introduce legislation to legalize the crop as an agricultural commodity. The versatile crop has been grown on an experimental basis in a number of states in recent years.
“It’s now time to take the final step and make this a legal crop,” McConnell said
McConnell acknowledged there was “some queasiness” about hemp when the 2014 Farm Bill cleared the way for states to regulate it for research and pilot programs. There’s much broader understanding now that hemp is a “totally different” plant than its illicit cousin, he said.
“I think we’ve worked our way through the education process of making sure everybody understands this is really a different plant,” the Republican said.
McConnell said he plans to have those discussions with Attorney General Jeff Sessions to emphasize the differences between the plants. See more on - thecannabist