Senate Makes a Decision on Hemp: Good News and Bad News...

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The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee recently passed a bill that will redefine hemp into two separate categories: "industrial hemp" (eg. hemp fiber, food, fuel, etc.), and "hemp-derived cannabinoid products," such as CBD, CBN, THC, CBG, etc.

The Good News

Let's start with something positive! Changes to federal law will not be implemented until 2026, so nation-wide restrictions won't take effect for about a year. This decision was made to protect hemp farmers' current crops that may not have met the proposed testing standards.

This small buffer in time allows hemp industry advocates and consumers to encourage Congress to make smart changes to the bill's language. As currently written, the legislation would ban more than 90% of consumable hemp products.

Which brings us to the bad news.

The Bad News (if you like hemp products)

• Closing the "hemp loophole" is a bi-partisan effort. The committee voted 27-0 to create separate definitions and rules for industrial hemp, and cannabinoids.
• The bill refers to the effects of THC as "hallucinogenic," which only speaks to the potential effect of very high amounts of THC and places it in a category with LSD and psilocybin. This language disregards the use of smaller amounts of THC, HHC, and similar cannabinoids by millions of Americans to help with anxiety, sleeplessness, pain, and other needs.
• Lawmakers have a bad track record of creating insensible rules that don't demonstrate a clear understanding of THC or cannabinoids, in general. We're very concerned that Congress will opt for blanket bans that eliminate even non-intoxicating THCV because it has "THC" in the name, and prohibit CBN because it's produced through a conversion process (considered "synthetic") that begins with hemp-derived CBD.
• The black market will flourish under a draconian hemp THC ban. If more than 90% of the current cannabinoid market is eliminated, the void will be filled by unregulated, untested, unaccountable products that hurt consumer safety.

Regulation vs. Ban

The best case scenario is that Congress takes the more difficult task of regulating hemp cannabinoids, versus shutting down the multi-billion-dollar industry altogether. Many states have crafted regulations that are working to improve quality and avoid use by minors. Alcohol and tobacco regulations could also inform limits. Do these rules prevent alcohol and tobacco from being overused or acquired by minors? No. Do we ban them for adults? No.

What You Can Do

Your Senators need to understand how you use hemp products in your daily lives. They need to hear your stories. If you're willing to reach out to your state's Senators, here's a link to the directory.

I have a few stories I'll share with Colorado Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennett. One is about a hand-written thank you card from a customer in 2020 saying she had a terrible day of chemo, but was relieved to see a package from Forge on her doorstep. She said our 10mg delta-8 tablets were the only thing that eased her nausea and pain.

And they should know about a father who was concerned in 2023 that his adult son with advanced autism might lose access to THC products in his state. Two years later, we're still helping his son every day with HHC edibles that keep him calm and focused.

I'll also tell them about my friend in Texas who has struggled with ADHD her whole life, but was able to replace prescription medication with HHC. She has 3-4 HHC gummies (60-80mg total HHC) in the morning. She isn't intoxicated, just laser focused and ready for her day. I would be quite intoxicated by that amount of HHC, but that's the point – we're all different and you can't judge how and why people use cannabinoids.

Questions?

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. You can contact us any time at info@forgehemp.com, or call during business hours (Mountain Time) at 1-877-33-HEMP9. If we can't take your call immediately, we'll call you back promptly.

Thanks again,
Kelly + Team Forge