Thorn: Pot Profit For State, Not Poor

We are thrilled that the medical pot bill passed a state House committee and may get through the House where there are 51 cosponsors including the House speaker. But what an odd piece of legislation. It forbids card holders from smoking flower, but vaping it is just fine.  You cannot grow it at home, because — poor people. But buying from a state-licensed dispensary is just fine — because taxes and profits.

Absurd: What Is Mike Smoking?

Speaking of cannabis, we dislike U.S. Sen. Mitch “By Any Means” McConnell more than anyone, if that is possible. But his potential Democratic challenger, Mike Broihier, wrote a wacky op-ed in The Courier Journal that falsely laid blame on McConnell for Kentucky’s hemp bust. Turns out that the hemp market is not what was expected, and farmers are stuck with product but no pay. “To be effective, any pyramid scheme must have many layers,” Broihier wrote. “Those first in get paid well and drive an enthusiastic boom in participants. But with last week’s bankruptcy filing by Kentucky’s biggest hemp buyer, GenCanna, McConnell’s hemp pyramid scheme looks more like an ill-built baseball dugout: low, flat and crumbling. After only two years, we see the hemp scheme falling apart on three levels: bad seed, busted contracts and a lack of processors.” So… how is this McConnell’s fault? He just pushed to legalize hemp farming to provide more opportunities for a state that once was a leading hemp grower.

Thorn: Bevin’s Quid Pro Paving

At the tail end of The CJ’s 1,000 word story on how Gov.-reject Matt Bevin had used state road funds to propel his failed re-election were two key details: “A review of press releases and local media reports shows Bevin and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet leadership held over 60 press conferences between July and Election Day last year in which they handed out discretionary road funding ranging from $100,000 to over $1 million. Bevin attended at least 21 press conferences in counties across the state from August through October.” Call it Bevin’s Slush Fund Road Paving Road Show.

Thorn: Less Junk In Our Trunks, Alas

First, Joe Ley’s ginormous antique store announced it is closing, sold to a New York investment firm to make way perhaps for a hotel or art galleries or entertainment or who-knows-what space. Now, we hear that the Crazy Daisy is closing March 31 because the building has been sold. No word on what will go there, but we think a slaughterhouse-adjacent boutique hotel is just what this city needs. Come for the smell but stay for the hot dogs with personality!