Congress Eyes Alcohol-Style Rules for Hemp-THC Beverages

A bipartisan bill called the Beverage Regulatory Parity Act would exempt hemp beverages from a looming THC ban and regulate them under an alcohol-style three-tier system. It would allow adults 21+ to buy hemp drinks with up to 5 mg of total intoxicating THC per serving, impose an 8-cent-per-milligram federal tax, require federal permits, and set testing, labeling, and size rules (no containers larger than 750 ml). States could impose stricter rules but could not block cross-border shipments. The act, backed by industry groups, comes as the Senate delayed the hemp ban’s effective date to December 11 and amid ongoing regulatory debates.