Kentucky's U.S. senators say they are being blocked in their efforts to legalize industrial hemp production. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul said yesterday they aren't giving up on winning congressional approval to allow farmers to grow the crop. The two Republicans said Senate Democrats are blocking consideration of additional amendments to the farm bill, including their hemp proposal. As a result, McConnell and Paul say they will oppose the Senate farm bill. Kentucky's legislature passed a bill this year that would allow industrial hemp farming in the Bluegrass state, but only if the federal government lifts restrictions on the plant. Hemp is similar to marijuana but has a negligible amount of the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana users a high. The Courier-Journal first reported the hemp amendment's setback.
KY Lawmakers Blocked in Effort To Legalize Hemp
