(GPB News)- A change to the farm bill at the federal level would effectively ban most THC products made from hemp.
The change to the farm bill — a recurring package of federal legislation related to agriculture — was passed as part of legislation to reopen the government after its 43-day shutdown.
The legislation would limit the level of THC (the psychoactive chemical in the hemp plant) legally allowed in a product at the federal level, effectively banning hemp-derived products with THC, including drinks, gummies and Delta-8. Georgia consumers can currently buy these products as well as synthetic THC.
Proponents of the ban say that hemp-derived THC products are not regulated enough to ensure safety.
Joe Salome, co-founder of the Georgia Hemp Company, said his business has seen an increase in customers trying to buy products in preparation for a ban.
“There’s gonna be a huge vacuum of individuals that can’t find their relief, whether that’s for sleep, anxiety, pain, neuropathy,” he said, adding that black market demand for cannabis could rise.
The ban will go into effect in about a year, unless Congress or the Georgia Legislature pass legislation to loosen restrictions on THC.
