Pubdate: Mon, 26 Aug 2013
Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Copyright: 2013 The Commercial Appeal
Contact: http://web.commercialappeal.com/newgo/forms/letters.htm
Website: http://www.commercialappeal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/95
Page: 3B

TENN. LAWMAKERS DRAFTING HEMP BILL

KNOXVILLE (AP) - Two state lawmakers in Tennessee are pointing to
Kentucky's recent approval of hemp farming as they push for a similar
measure.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports Republican Sen. Frank Niceley of
Strawberry Plains is drafting a bill with Republican Rep. Andy Holt of
Dresden, and they plan to introduce the measure in next year's
legislative session.

Nicely said Kentucky and six other states have passed measures
legalizing hemp even though federal law prohibits it. Nicely said
there also is support for changing federal laws, notably from Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul, both from Kentucky.

"The utilization of hemp to produce everything from clothing to paper
is real, and if there is a capacity to center a new domestic industry
in Kentucky that will create jobs in these difficult economic times,
that sounds like a good thing to me," McConnell said in a statement
earlier this year.

Hemp is controversial because the fiber is derived from the same plant
as marijuana. Although varieties of the plant eliminate all or most of
the drug component, authorities are concerned that marijuana
cultivators might hide drug plants among a crop of fiber plants.

Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee did not take a
position on the issue, but said it should be discussed.

"While we have not spent a great deal of time on the issue, we think
it should be fully vetted and debated at the appropriate time," Laura
Herzog, spokeswoman for Corker, wrote in an e-mail.

A spokesman for Alexander offered similar comments.

"This is a very interesting proposal that has a good economic argument
behind it. Unfortunately, an amendment by Sen. Paul to allow
industrial hemp to be grown and processed was not considered during
the farm bill debate, but Sen. Alexander will carefully consider this
issue going forward," Alexander's spokesman, Jim Jeffries, said in an
email.

Niceley, a farmer, said introducing the measure in the Tennessee
legislature would "put pressure on Congress" to repeal its
prohibition.
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