Eight Democratic U.S. senators are urging regulation of hemp-derived THC products rather than a Republican-led proposal that would end Farm Bill protections and re-criminalize hemp.
But recriminalization – and “kill(ing) the industry completely” – is exactly what could happen within the next two weeks, one Republican senator fears.
Federal lawmakers are wrestling with the explosive growth of intoxicating hemp-derived THC products that followed the 2018 Farm Bill.
But rather than regulate, Republicans in the GOP-controlled Congress are pushing language that would redefine hemp under federal law to outlaw most cannabinoid products.
Last month, a proposal that would have recriminalized many hemp products was removed from a major spending bill at the last minute by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
However, ban advocates such as fellow Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell have vowed to try again.
Rectifying differing House and Senate agricultural spending bills is one major item of business for Congress ahead of a potential Sept. 30 government shutdown, when some funding expires.
And the fate of the U.S. hemp sector is part of those negotiations.
Democratic senators urge regulation of $28.4 billion hemp industry
In a Sept. 16 letter to Republican Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, eight Democratic U.S. senators warned that redefining hemp “would deal a fatal blow” to the U.S. hemp sector.
“Over 70% of hemp acreage is dedicated to cannabinoid production, according to the latest USDA data — and hemp even yields higher profits for farmers compared to corn or soybeans,” the letter read.
“If this language were to become law, it would deal a fatal blow to the American farmers who are the foundation of the regulated hemp industry and jeopardize tens of billions of dollars in economic activity around the country,” it added.
According to their letter, whose lead signatories are Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Oregon Democrats, the U.S. hemp industry “now supports 320,000 American jobs, generates $28.4 billion in regulated market activity, and produces some $1.5 billion in state tax revenue.”’
A ban would “instantly drive thousands of acres of crop value across America, including 3,900 acres in South Dakota, to zero,” the letter read.
“Let’s work together to regulate these products,” it adds.
But in an interview with The Dales Report on Wednesday, Paul expressed fears that his colleagues are keen for a crackdown.
‘Danger’ of ‘prohibitionist language,’ Republican senator warned
“There’s still a danger that prohibitionist language will be in” an agricultural spending bill currently being negotiated, Paul told The Dales Report.
Paul said he is “very fearful that the whole industry could be made illegal within the next two weeks.”
In the interview, Paul mentioned state-level bans like California’s.
In that state, regulated cannabis industry interests called for regulators to curtail hemp-derived competitors.
But the state passed a blanket ban on hemp-derived THC in part because one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s teenage children was able to purchase a significant amount of intoxicating hemp products, Paul said.
“If anything, the pendulum has swung hard on the prohibitionist side,” he said.
“There has to be some reasonable regulation that everybody can agree to.”
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