KY Repugs Taking Lead on Legalizing Hemp

C'mon, Democrats! Are you really going to let the Tribble-Toupeed One get the credit for saving Kentucky's economy?

Gregory A. Hall at the Courier:

The effort to legalize industrial hemp reached the Kentucky State Fair on Thursday as U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer promoted their efforts to eliminate federal restrictions that amount to a ban on growing the plant.

Comer said he will restart the Kentucky Hemp Commission to advocate the elimination of the federal restrictions. Paul, R-Ky., is a co-sponsor of a bill in the Senate that would take industrial hemp out of the control of the Drug Enforcement Administration so it could be treated like other agricultural crops. Comer also said he hopes for a similar bill to be filed in the Kentucky General Assembly to deal with the issue.

Federal government regulations control — and effectively prohibit — production of the non-hallucinogenic plant that can be used to make products including twine, paper and clothing.

Comer and other supporters have said it could help diversify Kentucky's agricultural economy.

“The rest of the world can grow hemp and we’re not, so we’re losing out on that product,” Paul said.