By Afton Fairchild
Source: msadvocate.com
The Advocate last year printed a series of articles exploring the benefits and downfalls of industrialized hemp for the state of Kentucky. During this General Assembly, a newly proposed bill hits close to home as its sponsor is state Rep. Richard Henderson of Jeffersonville.
House Bill 286, which was pre-filed last week, is co-sponsored by 12 other representatives and also has the support of Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer and Sen. Joey Pendleton, who has sponsored similar legislation in Kentucky in the past. The bill would call on the agricultural commissioner to oversee the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission, which was formed in 2001, and would initiate a monitored process in which farmers would undergo a background check, pay a fee and be subject to field evaluations, among other stipulations.
Hemp has had a unique history in the state, and its use dates back to the 1700s. In 1850, Kentucky alone produced 40,000 tons of hemp priced at $5,000,000.
Henderson believes the plant still has significant value and could create revenue for the state, as he pinpointed that hemp can be used to create 25,000 different products, ranging from car parts to clothing, and can even be used as an alternative source of energy.
“I’m doing this purely for two reasons,” Henderson said. “No. 1, to diversify our farmers and get us another cash crop, and to also stimulate the economy, and I think we could do that. If properly utilized, and if we allowed our farmers to grow it, I think we would have $2-3 million income for the state itself in taxes at the end of the day, but it’s going to take some time and it is going to take the education process in order for that to come true.”
The education process Henderson is referring to is informing the Legislature and the public about the stark differences between industrial hemp and its plant cousin, marijuana. Hemp plants contain THC (the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana) levels of less than 1 percent, while average marijuana levels range from 3 to 15 percent, according to a study conducted by the University of Kentucky, concluding that it is virtually impossible to experience any type of intoxication from the plant.
“There’s nothing that hemp can do to hinder both the work of our wonderful police officers, or to add to the scourge of drugs,” Henderson said. “Hemp actually would help somewhat eliminate that by reducing the potency of marijuana.”
Henderson referred to studies in which hemp and marijuana were planted side by side. These studies showed that marijuana plants that were planted next to hemp plants actually produced reduced levels of THC due to cross-pollination.
Ultimately, Henderson said, legalizing the plant’s growth and production within the state would likely have no negative affects. While every citizen would benefit from tax revenue the plant could bring, Henderson said, it could also help bounce back agricultural production, which has been negatively affected by the decline in the tobacco market.
“Our farmers have been hit pretty hard by the recession and by the ethanol use of the corn crop, so if we use hemp for ethanol, we can actually help the farmers by using less corn and therefore the crop would be more stabilized and the feedstock would be less affected,” he said.
While the bill has bipartisan support, it is still sure to face opposition in the General Assembly as the issue is controversial among many. However, if the bill indeed passes, the next hurdle would be receiving a permit from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
Currently, marijuana and hemp are classified as the same, therefore they are recognized as schedule one drugs on a federal level. However, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas has been pushing to have the definitions changed, most recently with the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011.
Henderson said he has faith that the more states press the issue, the more likely the federal government will redefine hemp, allowing it to be grown legally.
“I’m strong enough to help push this bill, and I believe that my people, in my district for instance, are highly educated and a reasonable people that understand the difference between illicit drugs and something that can be beneficial economically speaking,” he said.
“There are some wonderful things that could come from the hemp plant itself when manufactured,” he added. “If we send this message to Washington, we can have textile mills here, for example, and create new jobs. Kentucky is the prime location to grow hemp, and it has proven through the test of time to be a major cash crop for Kentucky and the nation.”
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