The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has approved a federal spending bill that includes a broad ban on hemp-derived THC products, advancing the legislation to the House floor for further consideration.
The proposed ban is part of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2026, which the committee approved today by a vote of 35 to 27. The measure would change the federal definition of hemp to exclude any product with detectable levels of THC or any cannabinoid promoted for its intoxicating effects. This would effectively outlaw popular items like delta-8 THC, THCA, THC-O, smokable hemp flower, and other intoxicating hemp products.
Hemp-derived THC items—including gummies, infused beverages, and smokable flower—have proliferated in recent years due to a loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp nationwide. These products are especially prevalent in states where marijuana remains illegal, such as Texas and Florida.
The bill cleared the full committee following its party-line passage in a subcommittee vote last week, where all nine Republicans supported the measure and seven Democrats opposed it. With today’s committee approval, the bill now moves to the full House for a potential floor vote in the coming weeks.
