A Pennsylvania senator has announced plans to introduce legislation establishing statewide rules for intoxicating hemp products, including a 21-and-older sales requirement, independent testing and mandatory business registration.
Republican state Senator Dawn Keefer circulated a co-sponsorship memo Friday announcing the forthcoming Pennsylvania Hemp and Cannabinoid Act.
The proposal would require businesses selling consumable hemp products to register with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture while establishing testing and labeling requirements for products containing intoxicating cannabinoids.
Sales would be restricted to those 21 and older, with identification checks required.
The legislation would also prohibit candy-style packaging and marketing directed toward children, according to Keefer’s memo.
Existing Pennsylvania businesses that can document lawful operations before the measure takes effect would be grandfathered into the new framework.
Keefer said the proposal is intended to establish state-level rules while federal policy governing hemp-derived THC products remains unsettled.
Pennsylvania currently does not have a comprehensive statewide registration system or a universal 21-and-older requirement covering intoxicating products derived from federally legal hemp, according to the memo.
Keefer specifically emphasized that the forthcoming legislation would not legalize recreational marijuana or create a state Cannabis Control Board. It also would not alter Pennsylvania’s existing medical marijuana program.
The proposal comes shortly after Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against 12 people accused of participating in a trafficking operation involving high-potency THC products sold through stores across the state. Investigators said approximately $18.7 million in alleged illegal proceeds were traced during that case.
Keefer also cited increasing reports of cannabinoid and THC exposures involving children as a reason for establishing statewide rules.
The legislation has not yet been formally introduced. The September 25 filing is a co-sponsorship memorandum notifying other senators of Keefer’s intention to introduce the Pennsylvania Hemp and Cannabinoid Act and inviting them to sign on as cosponsors.
A bill number and complete legislative text will become available once the proposal is formally submitted.
