A new report has sparked concern across Missouri’s Cannabis Market, revealing that most products sold as hemp in Missouri are actually marijuana. This revelation has raised alarms among legitimate hemp producers who are working hard to maintain trust and transparency within the industry.
At a hemp farm in Maries County, Missouri, growers Kevin Holderman and Rich Tempe are focused on cultivating industrial hemp, a plant whose close cousin, marijuana, has become increasingly controversial. “It’s kind of a Wild West right now with all the cannabinoids available in both hemp and marijuana,” Holderman said. The two plants, while nearly identical, are treated very differently under law—something that deeply impacts Missouri’s Cannabis Market.
In 2018, the U.S. government removed hemp from the list of federally controlled substances, opening the door for the booming hemp industry. But that same flexibility also created new challenges for Missouri’s Cannabis Market, as many unregulated products hit the shelves with little oversight. “Someone’s supposed to be testing and regulating these,” said Jet Card, who represents the legal marijuana industry in Missouri. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Card and his team tested dozens of hemp-labeled products sold at gas stations and smoke shops across the state. Out of 55 samples sent to a third-party lab, a shocking 96% turned out to be marijuana. This finding underscores the urgent need for stricter regulation within Missouri’s Cannabis Market, where consumers may unknowingly buy intoxicating products mislabeled as hemp.
Their hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC—the legal limit. As long as their products meet this threshold, they can be sold legally, supporting both economic growth and public safety in Missouri’s Cannabis Market.
Producers like Holderman stress that every part of the hemp plant is useful, from its fibers to its flowers. Yet, they agree that the growing counterfeit market is hurting both the industry’s reputation and consumer trust. “They’re just using the name hemp to sell marijuana,” Holderman said.
As Missouri’s Cannabis Market continues to expand, industry experts and lawmakers are calling for stronger testing standards, product labeling laws, and public education. Without clear regulation, Missouri’s Cannabis Market risks being overrun by counterfeit operations, putting legitimate businesses at a disadvantage and endangering consumer safety.
Ultimately, the future of Missouri’s Cannabis Market depends on transparency, accountability, and enforcing the difference between true hemp and marijuana—a distinction that remains critical for the industry’s credibility and growth.
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