Yes, We Can Protect Kids and Support Hemp—But Not With Blanket Prohibition
In a recent op-ed titled “We can grow hemp and protect kids at the same time,” Senator Mitch McConnell, widely recognized as the architect of the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp legalization, reiterates his support for tightening federal laws around intoxicating hemp-derived products. His position is clear: the proliferation of unregulated cannabinoids like Delta-8 has led to an industry operating in legal gray zones, and children are at risk.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) brandishing the hemp pen he used to sign off on the reform.
On this point, we agree: protecting kids from unregulated psychoactive products is non-negotiable.
But the method matters.
Senator McConnell is now leading the charge on federal legislation, tucked into the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, that would redefine hemp in a way that could eliminate vast swaths of the legitimate hemp market, including non-intoxicating wellness products that millions of Americans rely on.
That’s not regulation. That’s prohibition.
Let’s be clear: Kentucky NORML has long supported commonsense safeguards around age restrictions, labeling, and potency standards. We’ve worked across industries to encourage policy that promotes transparency, testing, and safety—especially when it comes to products that mimic traditional cannabis effects.
But we reject the false choice McConnell presents: that the only way to protect children is to destroy the very industry Kentucky farmers were promised in 2018.
What we need is:
Clear definitions that distinguish between intoxicating and non-intoxicating cannabinoids.
Smart regulatory infrastructure. Not an industry-wide shutdown that punishes compliant businesses.
Investment in enforcement tools for bad actors, rather than sweeping bans that undercut honest processors and farmers.
Kentucky’s hemp and cannabis economy has the potential to be a national model—but only if we build it thoughtfully. Prohibition didn’t work in the 20th century, and it won’t work now. It will push these products into the shadows, where they are less safe, less transparent, and more accessible to kids.
We invite Senator McConnell—and all lawmakers—to work with patient advocates, farmers, scientists, and industry leaders to build a regulatory framework that does what he says he wants: grow hemp and protect children.
We can do both. But not if we take a sledgehammer to the entire industry.
Want to support a smarter path forward?
📢 Contact your federal lawmakers and ask them to support regulation—not prohibition—for hemp products.
🧾 Learn more about our policy work at www.kynorml.org/act
💚 Donate to help Kentucky NORML continue advocating for cannabis and hemp reform in the Commonwealth.
