U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) announced today that he will soon be introducing legislation in the United States Senate that would end the nation’s long-standing prohibition on hemp.
The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 would legalize hemp by removing it entirely from the federal controlled substances list. McConnell plans to officially introduce the measure next week, with Senator Rand Paul (R) and a bipartisan group of other lawmakers serving as cosponsors.
“Hemp has played a foundational role in Kentucky’s agricultural heritage, and I believe that it can be an important part of our future,” said Senator McConell.. “I am grateful to join our Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles in this effort. He and his predecessor, Jamie Comer, have been real champions for the research and development of industrial hemp in the Commonwealth.” McConnel notes that “The work of Commissioner Quarles here in Kentucky has become a nationwide example for the right way to cultivate hemp. I am proud to stand here with him today, because I believe that we are ready to take the next step and build upon the successes we’ve seen with Kentucky’s hemp pilot program.”
Read moreSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) to File Bill Legalizing Hemp