A bipartisan pair of lawmakers is offering the hemp industry a new path forward just months before sweeping federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp products are set to take effect.
Representatives Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) this week introduced the Lawful Hemp Protection Act, legislation that would establish a federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoid products while replacing the federal hemp restrictions scheduled to take effect on November 12.
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Rather than allowing the upcoming federal 0.4 milligram total THC-per-container limit to take effect, the bill would redefine hemp to allow products containing up to one percent total THC by dry weight. It would also establish nationwide guardrails for the industry, requiring hemp cannabinoid products to be sold only to adults 21 and older, prohibiting synthetic cannabinoids in finished products, and creating federal standards for testing, labeling and packaging. States would still be allowed to adopt stricter regulations if they choose, while new federal taxes on THC-containing hemp products would help fund oversight and enforcement.
The proposal comes as hemp businesses, manufacturers and retailers prepare for major changes expected to reshape the marketplace later this year. Barr said the legislation would provide greater certainty for hemp businesses while addressing consumer safety concerns without eliminating the market for hemp-derived THC products.
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“Kentucky farmers helped build America’s hemp industry, and they deserve certainty,” Barr said in a statement announcing the bill. “The Lawful Hemp Protection Act…safeguards consumers and establishes a commonsense regulatory framework that allows this important industry to continue to grow while ensuring products are safe and kept out of the hands of children.”
The bill now heads to Congress for consideration. If enacted, the bill would replace the upcoming federal restrictions with a nationwide regulatory framework governing how hemp-derived cannabinoid products are produced, tested, labeled, and sold.