After more than 80 years of unnecessary prohibition
After more than 80 years of unnecessary prohibition, the U.S. is on the cusp of legalizing agricultural hemp.
Hemp was banned in 1937 by lawmakers who had somehow convinced themselves it was a dangerous drug.
It's not. No one can get high from hemp.
But hemp can be used to generate clean biofuels and manufacture goods from clothing to insulation.
That's why I wrote the Hemp Farming Act, which would at last remove hemp from the list of federally controlled substances and create monumental new opportunities for farmers. And now my bill is included in the 2018 Farm Bill slated to pass Congress this week.
We're almost there. Yesterday, the Senate passed the Farm Bill. I was proud to vote yes. The House will vote next. When they pass the bill, America will be able to take a long-overdue step to create jobs and spur economic growth in rural communities.
Ron