The Kentucky House voted Wednesday to ask Congress to remove hemp from the definition of marijuana in the federal Controlled Substances Act. The request would be made under House Concurrent Resolution 35, sponsored by Representative DJ Johnson, of Owensboro, who says hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant but is non-narcotic and legally produced on many Kentucky farms for industrial use.
Kentucky removed many hemp products from its definition of illegal substances in 2017. He says doing the same with the federal Controlled Substance Act will allow farmers and processors to take full advantage of the agricultural crop. Kentucky hemp production increased from 33 acres in 2014 to 3,200 acres in 2017, according to HCR 35, with nearly 50 hemp processors now operating in the state.
As a concurrent resolution, HCR 35 would not become state law if passed by both the House and Senate. It would instead be forwarded to both Congress and the White House. HCR 35 passed the House by a vote of 93-2 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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