Hemp store owner glad delta-8 regulations coming to Kentucky

LOUISVILLE - Small business owners who sell hemp products received good news this week from Gov. Andy Beshear; through an executive order, he’s mandating the sale and packaging of delta-8.

Dee Dee Taylor is the owner of 502 Hemp and Wellness Center, who is one of the people celebrating the action by Beshear. “I think it is great,” Taylor said. 

She is also a member of the Kentucky Hemp Association which, in August, won a legal battle, securing their right to legally sell hemp products like delta-8 in Kentucky. 

“I got into this business to help people and I am certainly not a criminal. I have a legal background as it is, so I was like, no, no this is legal, I know it’s legal or I wouldn’t sell it,” Taylor said. 

Tuesday’s executive order will regulate how delta-8 is sold in the Commonwealth. This will include standards for packaging and labeling—something Taylor says ensures people know exactly what they are buying. 

“It helps them, it protects them, and that is super important, so I applaud it. I was very happy to hear that,” Taylor said. 

Taylor recommends people buy delta-8 products only from reputable locations and not somewhere that isn’t well educated on what they are selling. 

This includes a certificate of analysis, which breaks down exactly what is in the product. Something 502 Hemp already has on their website. 

“You wanna make sure that what is on that label is actually what’s in the bottle and what you are buying,” Taylor said. 

As for if she believes the order goes far enough? Taylor says she’d like to see a few more restrictions added. 

“I think it should be 21 and up only. I’m perfectly fine with that and I’m kind of against it being sold everywhere. I think it should be sold at establishments that cater to helping others, not necessarily finding these products at a gas station,” Taylor said.  

With delta-8 now legal federally and in the Commonwealth, it gives small business owners like Dee Dee Taylor peace of mind knowing they are not breaking the law by selling these products. 

Gov. Beshear’s executive order will go into effect at the beginning of 2023.