Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2013
Source: Daily Independent (Ashland, KY)
Copyright: 2013 The Daily Independent, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.dailyindependent.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1573
Author: Ronnie Ellis, CNHI News Service

BILL RECEIVES UNANIMOUS APPROVAL IN KENTUCKY

Regulation Of Industrial Hemp

The pitch was the same but an all-star cast of salesmen went before
the Senate Agriculture Committee Monday advocating passage of a bill
to authorize regulation of industrial hemp in Kentucky.

Senate Bill 50, sponsored by the committee's chairman, Sen. Paul
Hornback, R-Shelbyville, won unanimous approval, that in itself a
minor surprise as two members thought to have questions about the
bill, Sen. Sara Beth Gregory, R-Monticello, and Sen. Whitney
Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville voted for it.

Testifying in support of the bill were U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Bowling
Green, and U.S. Representatives John Yarmuth, DLouisville, and Thomas
Massie, R-Vanceburg.

Perhaps the biggest name, however, was former CIA Director James
Woolsey, a member of the North American Hemp Council.

Together they appeared to be too much political firepower to overcome
the objections of Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer and
Warren County Commonwealth Attorney Chris Cohron - at least in the
Republican-controlled Senate.

However, later Monday House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg,
indicated the bill may face a tough challenge in the
Democratic-controlled House to overcome law enforcement concerns.

Woolsey ridiculed Brewer's fears that marijuana growers might try to
"insert" the illegal and much more potent plant into legal fields of
hemp.

Such a marijuana grower, Woolsey said, "would have to be uninformed
about botany or high on marijuana" to try that.

Advocates say hemp will cross-pollinate with marijuana, weakening
marijuana's THC content - the chemical ingredient that gives pot
smokers their high. That, Woolsey and others say, discourages
marijuana growers from using hemp as camouflage.

Brewer and Laura Sudkamp, of the KSP laboratory, counter that while
hemp may weaken marijuana, the same cross-pollination process will
increase the THC potency of hemp. Brewer said smoking hemp can produce
a high - it just requires more of it.

The proposal is pushed by Republican Agriculture James Comer who says
it offers an opportunity for a cash crop alternative to tobacco in
Kentucky and can be used for paper products, fiber and other uses,
including making composite materials from oil extracted from seeds,
materials that can be used to manufacture car components like dashboards.

The bill would not legalize the growing of hemp, once a major
agricultural product in Kentucky. It would, however, establish the
"framework of regulations," according to Comer, should the federal
government legalize industrial hemp.

Under the bill, state and local law enforcement would receive
notification of licenses with exact GPS coordinates of hemp crop
locations. Crops not used for research purposes would have to be at
least ten acres in size. Paul, wearing a shirt made from hemp, said he
has offered legislation to legalize hemp production in the United
States - as has Massey in the U.S. House - but will seek a federal
waiver for Kentucky from President Barack Obama should the legislation
fail.

Those calling for legalization said nine other states have already
passed such legislation and it is important for Kentucky to do the
same in order to be in position to take advantage of a market if the
federal government makes it legal to grow.

Yarmuth said that "is only a matter of time."

Hornback said he believes he can "work with law enforcement" to
address their concerns. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D