The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is set to meet Thursday to discuss and potentially vote on an agriculture spending bill that is expected to contain language banning all consumable hemp products with any measurable amount of THC.
Hemp THC gummies.
Multiple sources in the cannabis industry say the provision is being pushed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who was instrumental in the legalization of hemp through the 2018 Farm Bill. If the provision is included, it would effectively wipe out a large portion of the hemp-derived cannabinoid market, including banning all hemp-derived THC products.
Although the text of the Senate bill has not yet been made public, several insiders say it’s likely to match a measure approved last month by the House Appropriations Committee. That House amendment would prohibit all ingestible hemp products that contain detectable levels of THC, including non-intoxicating compounds like CBD that naturally contain trace amounts of the cannabinoid. It would outright ban hemp THC products such as delta-8, delta-8, THCO, THCA, and others.
McConnell’s reported support for the provision has raised eyebrows given his long-standing role in shaping hemp policy. However, apparently McConnell considers the proliferation of hemp THC products as an unintended consequence of the 2018 proposal.
It remains unclear whether the Senate Appropriations Committee will vote on the full bill during Thursday’s session or delay action. In the meantime, hemp industry stakeholders are lobbying lawmakers in an attempt to remove or revise the provision before it advances.
More articles from The Marijuana Herald can be found below.
