Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said March 26 that he planned to introduce a bill legalizing hemp as an agricultural commodity. Industrial hemp is a type of cannabis that looks similar to marijuana but contains negligible amounts of the intoxicating component THC. Hemp fibers can be used to make rope, cloth and paper, while hemp oil can be used in cosmetics, food, paper and other products. McConnell has been an advocate of hemp cultivation for at least four years. While removing hemp from the controlled-substances list would mean cultivators would no longer need a federal permit, the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 would still give the federal Agriculture Department oversight over states’ hemp production programs, according to information released by McConnell’s office.

Source: Washington Post March 26, 2018 18:35 UTC