INDUSTRY UPDATES
February 02, 2024
More Bills and a Proposed Rule: Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, Indiana, Hawaii and North Dakota
Check out the latest legislative updates across the states and take action today!
Florida
In Florida, a bad bill that we alerted you to earlier this year has gotten even worse. In addition to the original bill’s THC milligram limits and prohibition against delta-8 THC, a committee substitute to HB 1613 requires a hemp extract product to state on its label “The toll-free telephone number for the national Poison 110 Control Help line, (800) 222-1222.”
We encourage Hemp Supporters in Georgia to use our State Action Center to urge legislators to oppose the amended bill.
Arizona
Arizona SB 1401 would create a class of “hemp-derived manufactured impairing cannabinoids” that would be criminalized as “dangerous drugs.” The class would include delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC over 0.3% on a dry weight basis, delta-10 THC, HHC, THC-P, THC-A, THC-A ester, THC-O, and THC-B. Even though nonintoxicating cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, and CBG would be excluded, an effort to criminalize delta-8 THC and similar substances goes too far and reduces economic opportunities for hemp farmers and businesses.
We encourage Arizona Hemp Supporters to use our State Action Center to urge legislators to follow the Kentucky model—rather than outright prohibition, let’s regulate intoxicating products and make sure that they are unavailable to minors.
South Carolina
South Carolina HB 4628 does just that. It is a long-awaited bill that would allow the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to persons 21 years or older, including delta-8 THC and similar substances. Cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, CBG would be excluded, meaning that such products would not be subject to the age limit, labeling and packaging requirements, and other restrictions imposed by the bill. Further, the bill would require ingestible products to be sold with servings that do not exceed an aggregate of 25mg of one or more hemp-derived cannabinoids.
We encourage South Carolina Hemp Supporters to use our State Action Center to urge legislators to support HB 4628.
Indiana
HB 1079 is the latest version of a bill that Indiana lawmakers have considered the past few years. The bill has many positive elements. It would allow the production and sale of hemp craft flower to persons 21 years or older, allow low THC hemp extract that contains delta-8 THC or similar substances to be sold to persons 21 years or older, and would make clear that in-process hemp may be sold and that a food is not considered adulterated due to containing craft flower or low THC hemp extract.
We encourage Indiana Hemp Supporters to use our State Action Center to urge legislators to support HB 1079.
Hawaii
Two bills in Hawaii that we opposed last year—HB 1424 and SB 516—have been carried over to the 2024 session. The bills would require hemp products to state on their labels the origin and percentage of hemp not sourced from Hawaii, as well as the percentage of hemp sourced from Hawaii. If a hemp product contains hemp from multiple origins, the product must identify the hemp origin as “United States,” or “Foreign” if the product includes hemp from outside the United States. As far as we know, the label requirement would be unique to Hawaii.
While we support reasonable requirements for hemp products, we encourage Hawaii Hemp Supporters to use our State Action Center to urge legislators to oppose HB 1424 and SB 516.
North Dakota
Finally, under a proposed rule in North Dakota, cannabinoid hemp products could not exceed 1.25mg of total THC per serving and must have a CBD to THC ratio greater than 15:1. The limits could effectively ban popular products like broad spectrum and full spectrum. Also, the proposed rule imposes labeling requirements, including warning statements, and child-resistant, tamper-evident packaging requirements. The proposed rule’s restrictions appear to apply to intoxicating and nonintoxicating products alike.
We encourage Hemp Supporters in North Dakota to use our State Action Center to urge the Agriculture Commissioner to rescind the proposed rule.
Visit our State Action Center to see active campaigns across the country!
Check out the latest hemp and CBD updates from across the states!
- Roundtable Roundup: Ohio Bill Would Ban Full Spectrum Hemp, Proposed Illinois Hemp Amendments Raise Concerns on Testing and Transport RestrictionsOhio Unfortunately, as we predicted a few weeks ago, the Ohio Senate introduced a bill—SB 326—which would ban all full spectrum hemp products. Specifically, products that contain more than 0.5mg of …
- Hemp Industry News: U.S. Hemp Authority Webinar Recording, International Hemp Trip, and a USDA Hemp GrantWe made it! Our USHA webinar went off without a hitch. With over 100 attendees, this was our most successful webinar to date. Chris Fontes provided an excellent background of …
- Roundtable Roundup: Updates in Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Louisiana and TennesseeGeorgia Last month, the Georgia Department of Agriculture proposed changes to existing rules for hemp products, as well as a proposed new rule for consumable hemp products. While many of the changes to the …