Source: thehill.com
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)
Legislation that would effectively legalize industrial hemp is growing in popularity with Senate Republicans.
Hemp should not be lumped together with marijuana on a federal list of banned drugs, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said Thursday.
“Industrial hemp is a safe substance with many practical commercial applications,” Gardner said. “Removing it from the Controlled Substances Act is a commonsense move, which would create jobs and get the government out of the way of farmers and our agricultural industry.”
Hemp is grown from the same plant as marijuana, but is believed to be less potent. It is popular with farmers in other countries where it is not banned and can be used to produce paper, plastic, rope, fuel and even organic foods.
Gardner announced Thursday he will co-sponsor the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, which would exclude hemp from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of banned drugs.
The Industrial Hemp Farming Act is already backed by top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), as well as Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
“Hemp has the potential to be a major boon to Colorado agriculture, giving farmers another viable and profitable option for their fields,” Gardner said.
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