The letter below is from Sen. Mitch McConnell to a Vote Hemp supporter in reply to a letter asking him to become a sponsor of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

If you receive a reply from one of your elected representatives please email a copy of it to us at hempinfo@votehemp.com. It will help with our lobbying efforts to know the contents of these letters. We will not publish your name or address and hold them in confidence.

September 20, 2011

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me regarding industrial hemp. I appreciate you taking the time to make me aware of your concerns.

On May 11, 2011, U.S. Representative Ron Paul introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011 (H.R. 1831), which would remove restrictions on the cultivation of industrial hemp. Additionally, it would provide state governments with the authority to license and regulate the commercial production of hemp. This legislation is currently before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary.

As you know, industrial hemp can be used for various items such as clothing and rope, and research into the alternative uses for hemp is ongoing. However, most law enforcement agencies believe that hemp must be regulated because of its great potential for abuse.

I understand and respect your views on this issue, but until I am certain that the growing of hemp will not be abused and will not add to the burdens of our law enforcement establishment, I would not be comfortable supporting legislation legalizing hemp for industrial purposes.

Thank you for contacting me about this important matter. If you would like to receive periodic updates about issues such as this, please sign up for my eNewsletter at http://mcconnell.senate.gov/ and become a fan of my page on Facebook, by visiting http://www.facebook.com/mitchmcconnell.

Sincerely,

MITCH McCONNELL
UNITED STATES SENATOR