Ever since the New Federal Farm Bill was passed last year, there have been a lot of questions about what it will do and what it means for the average consumer. Here’s the quick run down of what this means and how it’s going to affect the sale of cannabis going forward.
Changing How “Hemp” is Defined
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp by defining it as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight.
This allowed for a massive market of hemp-derived cannabinoids, including Delta-8, Delta-10, and THC-A products, that were federally legal but intoxicating.
The New Farm Bill contains related language that aims to close that loophole.
Now Hemp will be evaluated based on total THC, not just Delta-9. This means that many products that used to be considered Hemp, will no longer have that classification, even if they are Hemp-derived.
Products That Will Be Affected and How it Affects the Consumer
The products that will be most impacted by this bill are products that mostly contain Delta-8, Delta-10, and THC-A. If these products will no longer meet the federal definition of hemp and will be classified as controlled substances.
This means that online businesses, gas stations, liquor stores, and other businesses that carried these products because they didn’t need a license to sell them, will no longer be able to.
This means that if someone was getting their products solely from these types of places, they will need to move to purchasing their THC products from a licensed dispensary.
Important Note: State licensed dispensaries and the products that they sell will remain almost completely unaffected by this law.
Why is This Better For the Consumer
Because these products and these businesses fell into a legal gray area, most if not all of the products were not subjected to the standard regulations and testing that all cannabis products must undergo.
This means that at best consumers could be getting an unsatisfactory product or at worst could be consuming something that is dangerous to them. Without the constant testing and inspections that occur at state licensed dispensaries and grow facilities consumers are never sure if they are getting what is advertised.
When Do These Changes Take Effect?
There is no exact date that these changes will go into effect but estimates suggest that it could be as early as late 2026. This will allow for a transition period for everyone, businesses and consumers alike, to adapt to these new regulations.
However things are still up in the air and this bill may be delayed for months or even years and politicians and industry leaders continue to work on it.
Any change to cannabis in the legal landscape can oftentimes seem confusing but it’s important to stay up to date and informed about what is happening. And as your source of all this cannabis, we at NatureMed are here to make sure that you are kept in the loop on everything affecting our favorite plant!