INDUSTRY UPDATES
February 23, 2022
U.S. Hemp Roundtable Statement On the Marketing of Intoxicating Products Under the Guise of Hemp
(Washington D.C.) — The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, the hemp industry’s national advocacy organization, is deeply troubled about the increasing proliferation of products that are sold under the guise of the hemp name but that are marketed for their intoxicating effect.
Last year, the Roundtable issued a strong statement outlining its concerns about Delta-8 THC products being sold at retail instead of through adult-use cannabis channels. Today, the Roundtable warns the public about the sale of products which are high in Delta-9 THC but whose manufacturers claim are compliant with federal law. It is the opinion of our scientific experts that hemp products that contain more than 3 mg of THC per serving exceed the 2018 Farm Bill threshold of 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. They certainly violate the intent of Congress.
“This kind of marketing is not simply a threat to public health and safety — particularly for kids that might purchase these products at retail — it undermines the integrity of the legal hemp industry, and ultimately threatens the livelihoods of farmers themselves. As a Senate staffer who was deeply involved in drafting initial U.S. hemp laws, I can attest that hemp’s legalization was only made possible by assembling a broad coalition based on the foundation of hemp being a non-intoxicating agricultural opportunity. “Rope not dope” was the motto of proponents of renewing an industry with such deep historical roots. Companies and organizations that seek to profit by misusing the hemp name to market intoxicating products threaten to destroy that coalition. It’s just common sense to say that these efforts are far outside of Congress’ intent when it created the legal hemp industry through multiple Farm Bills.
– Russell Coleman, Ethics Counsel to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky (2017-2021), former Senior Advisor & Legal Counsel to Senator Mitch McConnell (2010-2015).
“These marketing campaigns undermine our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill to secure important industry objectives such as regulating CBD and increasing THC levels in the field to provide flexibility to farmers. But further, they have also spurred a number of state legislative and regulatory actions that while well intended, have been drafted so broadly as to threaten the provision of safe and healthy non- intoxicating products, like hemp-derived CBD. We call on FDA and state regulators to enforce existing laws to target their efforts on cracking down on intoxicating products marketed as hemp that threaten public health and safety. We also call on Congress to pass legislation – such as HR 841, HR 6134, and S.1698 – which would finally assure that hemp products are regulated in dietary supplement and food forms.”
— Jonathan Miller, General Counsel to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, lead advocate on Capitol Hill and state capitals for hemp legalization and hemp product regulation.
ABOUT
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is the hemp industry’s national advocacy organization, a coalition of dozens of leading companies and organizations committed to safe hemp and CBD products. The Roundtable proudly works in partnership with the industry’s leading national, regional and state grassroots organizations, and is leading the way forward for hemp and CBD products through education and action.
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Alyssa Erickson, Public Affairs & Marketing Coordinator
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