| Dear Friends, When I last addressed this subject back in March, my commitment was to keep you posted as our federal legislators and the White House tried to find a way to keep effective and compliant hemp legal. As of this writing, they haven’t succeeded. While last night there was legislative movement detailed below, if anything, the situation is more uncertain than when a near- ban on THC and related cannabinoids found in full-spectrum CBD was legislated to take effect November 12. While I don’t want a complete ban, the whiplash level of uncertainty has taken its toll on everyone. For those readers who need a refresher, here are links to my November 2025 letter, and March 2026 letter. In these blogs, you’ll see I oppose “stoner” hemp products and learn how and why the marketplace was flooded with extremely intoxicating products. You’ll also learn where Mt. Folly CBD products, all made with full-spectrum hemp, fit. Certainly, things need to change, and the tide seems to have turned on that front. Now everyone is clamoring for regulation to keep high-THC products out of the hands of children (and unsuspecting adults!). Here is a summary of the legislation I’m following: 1. The Lawful Hemp Protection Act (HR 9830): Introduced two weeks ago in the House by Kentucky’s Representative Andy Barr and Rep. Angie Craig from Minnesota, this is a good bill which would ban synthetic and lab-made cannabinoids outright. It directs the FDA to set a maximum per-serving cannabinoid limit within 12 months, adds concessions to the alcohol industry by requiring hemp beverages fit into the three-tier distribution system, taxes hemp products, and requires domestic sourcing. 2. The Hemp Planting and Predictability Act (HR 7024) would push the effective date of the ban out two years. It has a companion bill in the Senate, drafted by Senator Rand Paul, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Jeff Merkely. Neither of these bills have made it out of committee. With the House now in recess and the Senate recess starting Saturday, August 8, we are staring down the barrel at a November 12th near-ban. **************************** I’d written the paragraphs above (and more) last week, and then, right on cue, Washington moved again. On Sunday, August 2, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the text of a new Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded through December 11, 2026. Tucked inside it is language that would push back the November 12 deadline by four weeks. It’s not a blanket delay, and synthetic cannabinoids that are not naturally produced by the hemp plant – Delta – 8 adjacent intoxicating synthetics – will become federally illegal in November. The Continuing Resolution passed out of committee last night and needs to be voted on by the full Senate, then reconsidered by the House when our representatives return at the end of August. So that is the situation this morning, August 4, 2026! Follow Laura’s Mercantile on social media and watch for emails from me with more updates. |
