You can't get high off of hemp, but it does have a diverse range of other uses including for textiles, food, oil and much more. (Westword, RFT's sister paper in Denver has a recent cover story on hemp, which, along with marijuana, is now legal in Colorado).
Meanwhile, Kentucky legislators have had success this year with their bill to license hemp farmers, advocates in Missouri point out.
The bill here, from Democratic State Senator Jason Holsman, says:
In any case where the defendant claims that the substance possessed was industrial hemp and not a controlled substance the burden of proof shall be on the defendant to prove that the substance was industrial hemp and not a controlled substance.
And the bill also specifies that it would not be legal for anyone who has been convicted of a drug-related crime to cultivate hemp.
Even if hemp can at times be confused for pot, it doesn't make a lot of sense for it to be outlawed, says Payne.
This bill is getting a lot less attention than proposals to decriminalize marijuana in the state -- and is also less controversial.
Payne says, "This does not split as much along the partisan divide as the question of legalization or decriminalization."
Here's the proposed bill.
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