By Rep. Greg Stumbo, Speaker of the House
Source: floydcountytimes.com
Recently, this newspaper editorialized in favor of industrial hemp and suggested that I am standing in the way of its legalization.
Nothing could be further from the truth. To begin with, the current national ban was enacted by the federal government in the 1950s, and no state can reverse that action by itself. It would either take an act of Congress or a waiver from federal officials, neither of which is expected anytime soon.
Another point to make is that, back in 2001, Kentucky took steps to be ready should any aspect of this ban be lifted. This 12-year-old law calls for Kentucky to automatically adopt the federal guidelines, whatever they might be.
Recently, I asked Attorney General Jack Conway to rule whether this law is all that Kentucky farmers would need to grow industrial hemp if there were no more federal restrictions. As a former Attorney General, I believe that to be the case, which would mean that the legislation being debated would add nothing new other than an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
Whatever happens, it is crucial that law enforcement’s concerns are addressed. Our police officers rightly worry that industrial hemp could, quite literally, provide cover for marijuana, its genetic cousin. I am very sensitive to this possibility, which is another reason why we should spend more time studying our options.
Another concern is whether there is a strong, viable market for hemp. Estimates indicate the country only imports little, and that there is not a pressing need as there is for such crops as corn and soybeans.
However, I will say that, if all of these concerns can be met, and if the federal government grants farmers the right to grow industrial hemp, then I will work to see how we can make it beneficial for the state. Until then, though, I will not join those who, for now, are only sowing false hope. Every minute we spend on this issue is one that we lose to others that are much more pressing.
Rep. Greg Stumbo
Speaker of the House
Follow-Up Comment by Jayway87
Rep. Stumbo is incorrect about one key aspect of the ban on growing hemp. Industrial hemp could NOT provide cover for marijuana. In fact a hemp field is the LAST place that marijuana growers would want to hide their plants!
If marijuana growers were to put their plants inside a hemp field the marijuana plants would become fertilized by the hemp plants thus resulting in low-quality marijuana that's full of SEEDS. Marijuana consumers do NOT want marijuana that contains seeds!
It's fundamentally WRONG for American farmers to be banned from growing industrial hemp just because the DEA erroneously believes that marijuana growers would want to hide their plants inside hemp fields!!
We have to remember that the DEA bent over backwards to ban hemp cereals from supermarkets. In February 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the DEA could not ban hemp cereals, and in the nine years since this ruling not a single person has been injured from eating hemp cereals.
The DEA was WRONG when it tried to ban hemp cereals and it is WRONG to continue to ban the production of hemp in this country and the production and sale of other cannabis products such as medicinal and recreational marijuana!
If marijuana growers were to put their plants inside a hemp field the marijuana plants would become fertilized by the hemp plants thus resulting in low-quality marijuana that's full of SEEDS. Marijuana consumers do NOT want marijuana that contains seeds!
It's fundamentally WRONG for American farmers to be banned from growing industrial hemp just because the DEA erroneously believes that marijuana growers would want to hide their plants inside hemp fields!!
We have to remember that the DEA bent over backwards to ban hemp cereals from supermarkets. In February 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the DEA could not ban hemp cereals, and in the nine years since this ruling not a single person has been injured from eating hemp cereals.
The DEA was WRONG when it tried to ban hemp cereals and it is WRONG to continue to ban the production of hemp in this country and the production and sale of other cannabis products such as medicinal and recreational marijuana!
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