Kentucky Hemp Businesses Fight Looming Federal THC Crackdown
The hope is Congress will postpone Sen. Mitch McConnell’s effective ban
Kentucky-based hemp companies are battling regulations on two fronts, as state and federal lawmakers consider the future of THC-infused beverages, with several bills that could either preserve the industry or kill it altogether.
What You Need To Know
A McConnell-backed provision would effectively ban many THC-infused hemp products on Nov. 13
Rep. Jim Baird’s bill would extend the deadline two years to allow time for new regulations
Sen. Ron Wyden’s bill would cap THC at 5 milligrams per serving but keep hemp drinks on shelvesKentucky’s SB 223 would again allow cannabis-infused beverages at bars, restaurants and festivals
After seven years in business, Louisville’s Cornbread Hemp is at a crossroads; without federal action, the industry as they know it will end. Cornbread makes and sells a variety of hemp and THC-infused products and beverages.
“All hemp products in America become Schedule 1 narcotics, equal to heroin, on Nov. 13 if we can’t fix it in time,” said Jim Higdon, co-founder of Cornbread Hemp.
Higdon is hoping Congress will postpone Sen. Mitch McConnell’s effective ban on THC-infused products. Late last year, McConnell, R-Ky., entered a provision into a bill that would reopen the federal government. This provision closed a 2018 Farm Bill loophole that spawned a profitable hemp and THC industry across the country.
Earlier this year, Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., sponsored a bill that would postpone McConnell’s provision for two years. Baird introduced the Hemp Planting Predictability Act in January. He is also a member of the House Committee on Agriculture. Higdon said an extension would allow farmers and business owners to stay afloat while lawmakers find a workable, long-term solution amid a reignited hemp and THC debate.
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