McConnell, keep the federal government out of KY hemp. We will protect our kids.
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed one of the most comprehensive state laws in the country to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoid products. This wasn't done in haste or in a vacuum. It was built through collaborative engagement with law enforcement, health officials, regulators and the very retailers and processors McConnell's federal legislation aims to 'protect.'
The result is a strong, enforceable system with clear rules on restricting sales to adults 21 years and older along with increased requirements for independent lab tests, child-resistant packaging and retail licensing and inspections. This wasn't a loophole. This was Kentucky leadership in action — government closest to the people, doing what Washington, D.C., too often fails to do: solve the problem pragmatically.
Kentucky hemp retailers are protecting children
Kentucky retailers are not ignoring the safety of our children. We are addressing it through state authority and oversight tailored to our communities. For Washington, D.C., to now override that effort with overbearing federal prohibitions sends a troubling message that states can't be trusted to manage their own markets, protect their own children or regulate their own industries. If the goal is to close gaps in consumer safety, let Kentucky's model be the blueprint, not collateral damage.
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Let's be very clear, no retailer in Kentucky is defending selling adult products to children. We are defending the ability of law-abiding retailers to operate under a clear, regulated and state-defined market driven by adult demand.
We don't need a federal ban on any hemp product
McConnell's proposed federal restrictions would do more to eliminate legitimate livelihoods like ours than protect children. As history has proven, driving this regulated market underground only makes it harder to control. That's why we believe in regulation, not federal prohibition and why Kentucky's approach deserves support, not preemption.
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Sen. McConnell, Kentucky has already done what Washington is only now trying to figure out. We acted. We legislated. We enforced it. We did it the right way. For the sake of our retailers, farmers, processors, our rural economies and our children, we ask you to respect our state's right to govern this issue. There is no need to ban any hemp product, especially ones that are actually helping so many people. Whether it's veterans with PTSD or people with cancer or epilepsy, these products help and should remain available.
Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor.
Dee Dee Taylor is president of the Kentucky Hemp Association and owner of 502 Hemp Wellness Center.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: McConnell is wrong. Kentucky can keep kids safe from hemp | Opinion
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