Pubdate: Fri, 15 Feb 2013
Source: Glasgow Daily Times (KY)
Copyright: 2013 Glasgow Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2078
Author: Ronnie Ellis, CNHI News Service

SENATE PASSES INDUSTRIAL HEMP BILL

FRANKFORT  If the Republican state Senate gets its way, hemp could 
once again grow tall in Kentucky fields the plant inhabited for years.

The Senate passed a bill Thursday to authorize a regulatory 
"framework" for growing hemp if the federal government - which 
current bans growing the plant because it's biologically akin to 
marijuana - legalizes hemp production or grants the state a waiver.

The bill passed 31-6 with four Republicans and two Democrats, mostly 
from southeastern Kentucky, voting no.

At the same time in Washington Thursday, Kentucky's two Republican 
U.S. Senators, Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell, along with Oregon 
Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, introduced 
legislation to allow American farmers to cultivate and profit from 
industrial hemp.

The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2013 would remove federal 
restrictions on the domestic cultivation of industrial hemp. It would 
remove hemp from the Schedule I controlled substance list and define 
it as a non-drug so long as it contained less than 0.3 percent 
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The state measure has been a major issue for Republican Agriculture 
Commissioner James Comer, who has campaigned loud and hard to allow 
Kentucky farmers to grow the crop.

Hemp used to be a major crop in Kentucky. Henry Clay was a major 
producer and seller of the plant, which can be used to manufacture 
paper, composite materials and oils for a variety of products and uses.

But after World War II, the government banned hemp because of its 
similarity to marijuana. Hemp has a much lower percentage of THC, the 
chemical that produces the marijuana smoker's high.

Proponents say smokers can't get high smoking hemp and that it offers 
Kentucky a potentially lucrative agricultural crop.

But law enforcement agencies say it is impossible to distinguish by 
sight between the two and say it will make their marijuana 
eradication efforts more difficult.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, conceded the 
potential market for hemp is really unknown. But he asked colleagues 
Thursday to "give us an opportunity to see how this will work."

He said Kentucky must be in position to take advantage of whatever 
market exists should the federal government reverse course and allow 
cultivation and processing of the plant.

Other than Hornback, the only senators who spoke in support of the 
bill were Democrats.

Sen. Robin Webb, DGrayson, said hemp used to be an "economic driver" 
in Kentucky and her grandfather grew the crop in Carter County during 
World War II.

Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said fears about people getting high 
on hemp are unfounded because it's not strong enough.

"Industrial hemp won't make us high, but it might make us happy," Stein said.

Former governor and now Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, and 
Minority Leader R.J. Palmer, D-Winchester also spoke in favor.

But when the vote came, four Republicans voted no, and Senate 
President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, passed.

All but one of the Republicans live in the congressional district 
represented by U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, who opposes 
legalizing hemp for fear it will make it more difficult to combat marijuana.

Rogers is the creator of UNITE, a drug education, treatment and 
enforcement agency, and he represents a region of Kentucky wracked by 
drug abuse.

Voting no were Sen. Chris Girdler, R-Somerset, Rogers' district 
director; Albert Robinson, R-London; Brandon Smith, R-Hazard; and 
Democrats Ray Jones of Pikeville and Johnny Ray Turner of 
Prestonsburg. David Givens, RGreensburg, also voted against the measure.

Stivers didn't explain his reason for passing, but he, too, lives in 
Rogers' district while his wife is a field representative for McConnell.

The measure now goes to the Democratic-controlled House.

Speaker Greg Stumbo, DPrestonsburg, is a former attorney general and 
also lives in Rogers' district. He has been skeptical of economic 
benefit claims by proponents of legalizing hemp.

"The evidence doesn't show there's enough of a market for hemp to 
overcome law enforcement concerns," Stumbo said. "I think (the bill) 
will have a little tougher time down here."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom