The House unanimously approves legislation that would legalize industrial hemp, and regulate the sale of hemp based CBD.
The state government has indicated that sales of CBD oils and tablets, a cannabinoid derivative that some claim has medicinal properties, are illegal in Louisiana. Gonzales Representative Clay Shexnayder says the bill legalizes those sales.
“Right now they are selling those products in a grey area. You’ve seen it in the news where they have had some misunderstandings with those products.”
Hemp CBD is not psychoactive.
Many Louisiana farmers have been pushing for the state to allow industrial hemp after the feds legalized the growth in the last farm bill, and Shexnayder says because it can grow almost anywhere, with minimal resources, it’s great for family farms.
“Across the country right now, in other states where they do it, a lot of your smaller farmers are the ones who are in high demand right now, they are the ones who are prospering the most out of it.”
Shreveport Representative Sam Jenkins says both of these products have created a new marketplace, and it’s time for Louisiana to jump in and compete.
“Hemp and CBD products, will help diversify our economy and generate additional revenue for our state.”
The bill heads to the Senate.
