All articles tagged with #hemp
MPP leaders say Congress is unlikely to reverse last year's hemp ban before November, leaving a stricter definition of hemp that includes delta-8 and THCA and a 0.4 mg total-THC per container; banning synthetic cannabinoids, the policy threatens many hemp-derived products, potentially forcing shutdowns, bankruptcies, and banking and employment challenges, with some edge tweaks possible but no repeal this Congress.
A Texas judge issued a temporary injunction blocking state regulators from enforcing a broad ban on hemp-derived products (including smokable THCA) and allowing CHPs to be sold through at least July. The move follows a lawsuit arguing regulators bypassed lawmakers, and comes as the Texas Supreme Court ruled delta-8 THC can be treated as a controlled substance. The case also highlights regulatory changes like steep fee increases for manufacturers and retailers, ongoing expansion of Texas’ cannabis program with new medical licenses, and public polling showing mixed views on legalization.
A Travis County judge granted a statewide temporary injunction blocking key parts of Texas’s new hemp regulations, including how THCA counts toward Delta-9 limits, transport restrictions, higher fees, and daily-violation penalties, allowing the sale of THCA flower and concentrates to continue while a lawsuit proceeds. Unchanged provisions like child-resistant packaging and a 21+ purchase age remain in effect; the injunction lasts until a July trial with the state planning to appeal.
A three‑day Austin court hearing could determine whether Texans can keep buying hemp‑derived cannabis products as regulators’ rules on THCA/total Delta‑9 THC are challenged as overreach or needed public‑health clarification. With a temporary injunction due to expire, the hemp industry argues the new rules would devastate small businesses and upend a multibillion‑dollar market, while the state says the rules simply clarify measurements. The case also targets steep fee increases for licenses, and the outcome could have sweeping effects on consumers and the Texas hemp economy, which supporters say supports tens of thousands of jobs and roughly $10 billion in economic impact.
Florida’s 2017 medical marijuana licensing program, originally expected to spark adult-use cannabis, has stalled due to court challenges, tighter state rules under Gov. DeSantis, and limited federal progress. Winning applicants face ongoing litigation, steep renewal fees, and competition from established multi-state operators, prompting some to pivot to other markets or rethink plans. With recreational legalization still uncertain and a $70M license-era bubble long gone, regulators and licensees are recalibrating as hemp and other cannabis-related rules tighten, last-minute ballot efforts falter, and the industry remains in Florida but unlikely to bloom soon.
Federal health officials asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit by anti-cannabis groups led by SAM and a Medicare patient challenging CMS’s voluntary hemp-derived products coverage under Medicare, arguing the plaintiffs lack Article III standing and that the BEI component is not a new entitlement. The policy allows hemp-derived products (CBD) with up to 0.3% delta-9 THC and up to 3 mg total THC per serving, and is funded by providers up to a $500 annual cap per beneficiary. Plaintiffs contend the program diverts resources and harms their goals, but the government says there is no injury and no rulemaking required for this voluntary model. The case may seek to add MMJ as plaintiffs, a TRO was previously denied, and the matter continues to hinge on federal hemp vs. marijuana policy.
A Texas district judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order delaying enforcement of new rules that would restrict hemp-derived products like smokable THCA flower, in a lawsuit arguing regulators overstepped their authority by bypassing lawmakers. The pause lets the broader case proceed as plaintiffs challenge a post-decarboxylation “total delta-9 THC” calculation; a hearing on a longer injunction is set for April 23. The suit also targets steep new licensing fees, while Texas moves forward with medical cannabis licensing expansion and public polls show Texans divided on cannabis policy.
Texas hemp industry leaders have sued the state to halt new regulations from the Department of State Health Services and the Health and Human Services Commission that ban natural smokeable hemp products and sharply raise licensing fees; they argue the agencies overstepped their authority by redefining hemp and by counting total THC (including THCA) for compliance, which would ban popular products like THCA flower and pre-rolled joints and jack up fees for facilities and retailers, while state officials cite youth-safety concerns and rising cannabis-poisoning calls as justification.
Ohio’s March 20 law tightens cannabis and hemp rules: importing or shipping recreational cannabis into Ohio is banned; public use is restricted; edibles must stay in original packaging; opened products must be kept out of the driver’s reach; sharing is limited; home growing remains with strict plant counts; violations can carry penalties and affect unemployment benefits; extract potency is capped at 70% (35% for plants); no cross-border purchases and limited delivery pending rules; edibles can’t resemble children-appealing shapes; tax revenue rules shift and the social equity fund is scrapped; last year’s recreational sales topped $836 million.
A push to overturn Ohio’s ban on intoxicating hemp products, including THC/CBD beverages, failed to gather the required signatures by the March 19 deadline, leaving SB 56 intact. Organizers said time constraints limited their effort to collect more than 248,000 valid signatures from at least 44 counties, and Gov. DeWine’s veto removed a beverage carve-out from the measure. With no ballot measure, Ohio remains unable to overturn the law via a referendum, a feat not achieved since 2011.
An effort by Ohioans for Cannabis Choice to place a repeal of the state's intoxicating hemp ban on the ballot failed after organizers ran out of time to gather enough signatures—about 248,000 valid signatures across 44 counties were needed by the March 19 deadline. Senate Bill 56 already banned most intoxicating hemp, while Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a beverage carve-out; supporters argue the outcome could hurt businesses and jobs, though organizers did not disclose how many signatures were collected. Ohio hasn’t seen a ballot override of a law since 2011.
Missouri's House approved a bill to ban intoxicating hemp products containing more than 0.4 mg of THC per container, with sales restricted to licensed cannabis dispensaries if federal action allows it; the measure now heads to the Senate, drawing debate over marijuana definitions and market impact.
FDA failed to publish congressionally mandated lists of cannabinoids and to define what qualifies as a “container” for hemp products by the deadline, even as a November switch to a stricter hemp regime looms. The new rules would base legality on total THC (including delta-8) and other closely related cannabinoids, impose a per-container cap, and ban intermediates or non-naturally produced cannabinoids. Industry groups are pressing Congress to delay the ban and extend regulatory work, while alternatives like the HEMP Act seek to shape the forthcoming framework and testing/packaging requirements.
In North Carolina, marijuana remains illegal, but hemp products with less than 0.3% THC are legal, though a new federal law set to take effect in 2026 may ban these products due to increased THC limits, threatening the state's multi-billion-dollar hemp industry and raising public safety concerns. The debate involves federal and state regulations, industry impacts, and public health considerations.
New federal THC regulations, set to take effect next fall, threaten the viability of cannabis shops in Fort Worth and across the U.S., potentially forcing closures and impacting local entrepreneurs and consumers who rely on THC products for health and safety. Despite some political moves to reclassify marijuana, federal law remains restrictive, causing concern among industry advocates and shop owners.