FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — As Kentucky's hemp industry remains on the verge of a complete shutdown, U.S. Senator Rand Paul is working to exempt the state from the federal hemp ban.
Paul proposed the bipartisan Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which allows states that have hemp regulations in place to avoid the federal ban. The bill allows states to opt out of the ban and instead regulate hemp-derived cannabinoid products through their own program structures.
A rule change passed by Congress essentially bans all hemp products nationwide because it drops THC levels down so low that it makes all hemp products illegal. The federal hemp ban goes into effect in November.
Kentucky's hemp farmers currently do not know what will happen with their crop. Paul said instead of banning hemp products, the federal government should allow states to regulate it.
"Many people take these products for sleep, anxiety — and compared to prescription medication, it's less expensive and many people think there's advantages to hemp over pharmaceutical products for sleep," Paul said.
Kentucky's legislature already put hemp regulations into place. Paul said the state's regulations and laws already ban products that have too much THC in them, so the state should be allowed to continue regulating hemp products on its own.
"Kentucky's law allows for hemp — you have to be 21, it regulates how much THC can be in the hemp products and I think it's a reasonable approach to this," Paul said.
Paul said the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act would:
- Create an “opt out,” so states and tribal nations can continue regulating hemp themselves, as long as they maintain a minimum age for purchase and keep the ban on “dangerous synthetic cannabinoids” that don’t naturally occur in the hemp plant.
- Allow states and tribal territories to regulate age limits, serving size caps and testing requirements, allowing farmers to thrive while keeping products out of kids’ hands.
- Preserve interstate commerce for legal products, remaining consistent with Trump’s executive order to expand medical cannabis and CBD research;
- Provide public safety without trampling states’ rights or adult choice; and protect thousands of jobs, family farms, and safe access for veterans and seniors.
