January 2025 - HempWire

WednesdayJan 29, 2025 10:00 am

Missouri Senate Considers Bill Classifying Hemp Intoxicants as Marijuana

Last week, a Senate Committee in Missouri heard a measure that would reclassify all products with intoxicating chemicals derived from hemp. The measure, Senate Bill 54, focuses on regulating the crop by imposing upon it the same regulations as marijuana. Hemp industry representatives have raised concerns over SB 54, many of them highlighting that its passage would affect many businesses. Eapen Thampy, a lobbyist at Missouri Hemp Trade Association, stated that the measure would reduce access to these products in dispensaries and lead to the destruction of thousands of businesses. He added that while businesses in the hemp industry had…

MondayJan 27, 2025 10:00 am

Federal Court Upholds Intoxicating Hemp Ban in Virginia

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has validated the strict rules imposed on intoxicating hemp products in the state of Virginia. The court ruled that the regulations weren’t in conflict with the Dormant Commerce Clause as it treated all out-of-state and in-state parties equally and didn’t favor local businesses or burden interstate commerce. The clause is a principle of law that bars states from enacting regulations which interfere with interstate commerce. The ruling added that the regulations weren’t in conflict with federal law either, explaining that the state had a bigger responsibility to care for the safety…

WednesdayJan 22, 2025 10:00 am

Illinois Hemp Industry Pours Money into Efforts to Block Proposed Law

Illinois legalized the recreational use of marijuana in 2019, with the production and sale of drug being heavily regulated by the state. Hemp was legalized in the state the same year it was legalized federally. However, intoxicating products derived from hemp like delta-8 THC remain unregulated in the state and are sold in numerous outlets. To help control the proliferation of these products in the market, Sen. Kimberly Lightford sponsored legislation that would’ve imposed similar regulations as marijuana on hemp. Soon after this, Gov. JB Pritzker made the legislation a priority as minors had easy access to these unregulated products.…

TuesdayJan 21, 2025 10:00 am

Judge Rules NYC Officials Out of Order for Raiding Hemp Shops

Earlier this week, a court ruled that marijuana regulators in the state of New York were acting ultra vires when they flouted the constitutional rights of licensed hemp stores and used rough-handed tactics to carry out raids in these stores without court-authorized search warrants. The ruling was made by state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Marcelle, who added that the sheriff’s office didn’t possess the authority to carry out regulatory raids of licensed stores and needed to stop immediately. The judge also issued a temporary restraining order against the New York City Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Cannabis Management. In…

WednesdayJan 15, 2025 10:00 am

DoorDash Includes Hemp-Sourced THC Drinks on the List of Products it Delivers

Following its legalization with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the cultivation and production of hemp and its products has greatly increased in the U.S. Under federal law, hemp products should contain no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis and must be sold in accordance with age limits mandated by states. Last week, DoorDash announced that it’d be offering hemp-derived CBD and THC products for delivery in a number of states. This gives consumers access to more products to enjoy at their leisure, along with other snacks and meals. Director-GM of Alcohol and Emerging Categories, Jacob…

MondayJan 13, 2025 10:00 am

After Decades of Prohibition, the US Federal Government is Funding Hemp Research

Prior to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, it was illegal to cultivate industrial hemp in the United States. Now Lincoln University is heading a project funded by the federal department of agriculture studying the crop. The project received $5 million through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, which is focused on supporting farmers who cultivate products with climate benefits. The program is part of the federal agriculture department’s broader objective of mitigating climate change through agricultural market-driven solutions. Currently, over 100 projects are being funded by the federal department of agriculture, focusing on crops like rice, soybeans, and…

MondayJan 06, 2025 10:00 am

USDA to Conduct Nationwide Survey of Hemp Farmers

The Federal Department of Agriculture is expected to roll out its latest hemp survey to farmers nationwide this month. The annual survey, which was first rolled out in 2021, aims to understand the state of this growing industry better. The department’s Mountain Regional Field Office director, Rodger Ott, explained that the survey data would assist regulatory agencies, producers, processors, and state governments, among other industry entities. Results from the previous year’s survey show that the value of hemp produced increased by 18%, reaching $291 million. Data also found that over 27,000 acres of this agricultural crop were planted in 2023.…