Gov. Steve Beshear has until Saturday to sign or veto a bill that would open the door to industrial hemp farming in Kentucky. So far, he hasn't said what he'll do.
The General Assembly passed the bill last Tuesday in the final minutes of this year's legislative session, giving the governor 10 days excluding Sundays to veto it.The bill would allow Kentucky farmers to grow hemp, which can produce paper products and cosmetics, if the federal government lifts its ban on the plant.
Hemp is similar to marijuana but has a negligible amount of THC, the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana users a high. Beshear's office says is consulting with law enforcement officials. They are concerned marijuana growers could use hemp to camouflage the illegal drug.
