Congress Passes Bill To Recriminalize Hemp THC Products, Sending It To Trump’s Desk
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a Senate-passed spending bill that includes provisions to ban most consumable hemp products, sending it to President Donald Trump’s desk. Following a historic, weeks-long government shutdown, the Senate approved the appropriations legislation on Monday to fund critical agencies. Tucked inside the measure is a controversial section to re-criminalize […]
Ted Cruz Explains His Vote To Keep Hemp THC Products Federally Legal In Historic First Senate Roll Call On Cannabis
As the Senate held an historic first standalone roll call floor vote on the issue of cannabis on Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) drew some attention as one of just two Republicans who joined about two dozen Democrats in a failed attempt to keep alive a spending bill amendment to prevent a ban on hemp […]
Senate Rejects Attempt To Save Hemp Industry From THC Ban In Key Spending Bill
The Senate has rejected an amendment to a critical spending bill that would have removed language to ban hemp products containing THC. After the chamber cleared the appropriations minibus package for floor consideration on Sunday, senators on Monday took up the measure from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that he said would prevent the eradication of […]
Trump ‘Supports’ Hemp THC Ban That’s Advancing In Senate, White House Says
President Donald Trump “supports” the proposed ban on hemp products containing THC that’s been included in a Senate spending bill, a White House spokesperson says as cannabis, alcohol and other interests continue their efforts to influence the final deal. One day after the Senate cleared an appropriations package for floor consideration—with provisions that hemp stakeholders […]
Congressional Deal Would Ban Many Hemp THC Products, While Excluding Provisions To Let VA Doctors Recommend Medical Marijuana
Newly released spending legislation negotiated by congressional leaders would federally recriminalize many hemp-derived products. It also excludes provisions previously passed by the House and Senate that would have allowed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to begin issuing medical marijuana recommendations to their patients. The new measure, if enacted into law, would ban certain hemp […]
Beer Industry Trade Group Calls Out Hemp THC Sector’s ‘Bad Actors’ For Allegedly Marketing To Children
“You will never see a beer ad that features Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny.” By Ana Radelat, MinnPost The American beer industry has taken aim at makers of THC-infused beverages and edibles in a campaign that could have reverberations in Minnesota, a state that sparked a national explosion in the sales of hemp-derived beverages. […]
Big Alcohol’s Hemp Civil War: Brands Want A Pause. Distributors Want To Sell THC.
The cannabis industry has spent the past year battling lawmakers, attorneys general and FDA ambiguity over intoxicating hemp beverages. Then something unexpected happened. Not from cannabis. From alcohol. And not in a united front. A split. A civil war. Earlier this month, several of the most powerful alcohol trade lobbies in the country asked Congress […]
Beer, Wine And Spirits Distributors Tell Congress Not To Ban Hemp THC Products As ‘Demand For Alcohol Has Shifted Downward’
More than 50 alcohol distributors have joined together to oppose efforts in Congress to ban intoxicating hemp products, stressing to lawmakers that as demand for alcohol has “shifted downward,” the cannabis market has helped sustain their industry. In a letter sent to congressional leaders on Wednesday, the coalition of beer, wine and spirts wholesalers said […]
Seth Rogen Says Push To Ban Hemp THC Drinks Shows ‘Someone Is Very Threatened’ By The Expanding Market
Actor and cannabis icon Seth Rogen says the push to restrict or ban sales of THC beverages amid their rise in popularity shows that “clearly someone is very threatened by them.” But he expects the hemp drink market to prevail in response to consumer demand. Rogen, whose own cannabis brand Houseplant launched a line of […]
Minnesota Attorney General Defends Signing Letter Urging Congress To Ban Hemp THC Products Amid Industry Pushback
The Democratic attorney general of Minnesota is defending his decision to sign a letter to Congress along with 38 bipartisan colleagues from other states and U.S. territories that calls for a federal ban on the sale of intoxicating hemp products. Evidently receptive to criticism from the hemp industry and its supporters, Attorney General Keith Ellison […]