Full Circle Market and other vendors sold Kentucky beef hemp hot dogs, cannabidiol (CBD) soft gel capsule samples and CBD-infused seltzer water to kick off the start of Hemp History Week Monday.

This is Full Circle Market’s fifth year participating in Hemp History Week, owner Laura Sheehan said.

“We are just educating the public about hemp products,” Sheehan said. “Now that hemp can be grown in Kentucky there is more interest, and so we’d like to feature all of the Kentucky hemp products as well as the other hemp products that we’ve been selling for years.”

The ninth annual Hemp History Week runs through June 10 to celebrate leading hemp product manufacturers, farmers and advocates that are working to change federal policy on industrial hemp in the United States, according to the campaign’s website.

Hemp is a fiber and oil-seed crop with deep roots in American history, brought over by been brought over by early European settlers in the 1600s, according to the campaign’s website.

Today, Kentucky is one of the few states permitted to grow industrial hemp. Clark County has a long history with the help industry, which ended after World War II.

Sheehan said hemp could be used in food products, beauty care products and medicinal supplements. Sheehan said hemp has many nutritional benefits such as its essential fatty acids and it is an excellent source of protein.

Queen City Hemp, based in Cincinnati, showed its products at the event such as its full spectrum cannabinoid vape e-liquid, full spectrum cannabinoid vape starter kit and its seltzer waters which comes in three flavors: blood orange, guava and passion fruit. Its products are sold at Full Circle Market.

The seltzer water has 5 milligrams of CBD and is all natural with no added sugars. The hemp used by Queen City Hemp is grown in Kentucky, Nancy Akers, who was running the booth, said.

CV Sciences also had an informational booth. CV Sciences sells cannabidiol products meant to enhance the quality of life, Jesse Miller, a CV Sciences broker, said.

The kickoff event lasted all day with the “KY Dawgs” served all day. The “dawgs” are an artisan hot dog made with Kentucky Proud beef and pork that uses hemp seeds instead of soy as a filler.

Later in the evening, attendees were also able to meet local hemp growers Nature’s Rhythm from Bourbon County and Homestead Alternatives from Clark County.

Full Circle Market was also offering discounts on new hemp snacks, holding a CBD basket giveaway and providing customers with free samples of some various hemp products.

Sheehan said because hemp has many uses, it could be a replacement crop for tobacco farmers.

“This might be a new crop for Kentucky,” she said.