Farm Bill Amendment Targets Delta-8 THC and Other Cannabinoid Products
House Committee Advances Farm Bill Amendment Targeting Delta-8 THC, Stirring Industry Concerns.
- House Committee’s approval of Farm Bill amendment targeting Delta-8 THC products.
- Farm Bill amendment’s vague language and its effect on CBD products.
- The Senate’s stance on the Farm Bill amendment remains uncertain.
The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture has approved an amendment to the Farm Bill proposed by Representative Mary Miller to ban most hemp-derived cannabinoid products, including Delta-8 THC. This move aims to address safety concerns and close the 2018 Farm Bill loophole. Anthony Varrell, co-host of “Trade to Black” podcast described this as another form of prohibition and emphasized the need to unify hemp and cannabis regulations. He highlighted the political moves that led to hemp’s inclusion in the Farm Bill, allowing unregulated THC products to proliferate. The amendment’s vague language about “any amount of quantifiable THC” has raised concerns about its impact on CBD products. Varrell and others advocate for removing hemp from the Farm Bill and integrating it with cannabis under a unified regulatory framework. The Farm Bill amendment now heads to the Senate, where its future is uncertain.
Varrell expressed skepticism about the amendment’s chances in the Senate, citing opposition from figures like Mitch McConnell. He stressed the need for a level playing field in cannabis regulation, arguing that the current bifurcation between hemp and cannabis makes little sense. Proponents of the ban argue that it is necessary to protect children and ensure consumer safety, but critics fear it could negatively impact the hemp industry and CBD product market. The amendment’s potential to eliminate unregulated products like Delta-8 THC could benefit the legal cannabis industry, but the path to achieving regulatory clarity is complex.
Varrell said, “It’s also another form of prohibition…Realistically, I think what we should be talking about conversationally is hemp needs to be taken out of the Farm Bill amendment.” He also highlighted, “Hemp needs to be homogenized with cannabis under the rescheduling laws that we’re going to get.” According to Varrell, this bifurcation has led to THC products being sold in gas stations, creating safety concerns. As the legislative process continues, the industry will closely monitor its progress and potential impacts.
Critics argue that the Farm Bill amendment’s vague language about “any amount of quantifiable THC” could inadvertently affect a wide range of products, including CBD items. This has sparked significant debate among stakeholders about the most effective way to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids.
