Plan to reopen federal government includes ‘devastating’ hemp regulation, supporters say

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - With the U.S. House of Representatives set to approve a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the federal government, Georgia’s million-dollar hemp industry could be severely impacted in the aftermath.

The CR includes a provision that would, for the first time since the 2018 Farm Bill, regulate the amount of THC - or Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol - in hemp products. The bill would re-criminalize many of the intoxicating hemp-derived products that were legalized in 2018.

The provision “prevents the unregulated sale of intoxicating hemp-based or hemp-derived products, including Delta-8, from being sold online, in gas stations, and corner stores, while preserving non-intoxicating CBD and industrial hemp products,” according to a Senate Appropriations Committee summary.

“Most of our regulations come from states,” said Joe Salome, co-founder and managing partner of the Georgia Hemp Company and Sympleaf Wellness. “The bill aims to put a federal, .4% maximum limit of THC per package, such as gummies and oil. That limit would be devastating for our industry.”

At a recent hemp expo in Fort Lauderdale, Georgia native Omari Anderson was selling what could be his last batch of THC lemonade. It’s his mom’s recipe. He added THC after she was diagnosed with dementia. After drinking one, she’d finally eat.

“I’m all for reopening the government, but sneaking [this hemp ban] in like this is crazy to me,” Anderson said.

Attorney Tom Church, who represents Georgia hemp retailers, said the change would override state rules already in place, making things more confusing for businesses and the court system.

“Maybe five to 15 percent of what they sell will stay legal; the rest has to come off the shelves,” Church said. “It’s going to create more situations where people get caught up in raids or arrests for things that they thought were perfectly legal.”

Others say this crackdown is overdue. Michael Mumper, with Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy, said these products can be dangerous.

“Parents tell me their teenage sons vape Delta-8 and end up in psychosis; they just can’t stop,” Mumper said. “We don’t know what this is going to do yet. The science hasn’t caught up to the products.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lawmakers have come under intense pressure to end the current, historic partial government shutdown because of the lack of SNAP benefits funding.

The farm bill - known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 - legalized hemp by removing from its designation as federally unlawful marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). It also allowed hemp to be transported from one state to another.

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The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) regulates the growing, processing, manufacturing and sale of industrial and consumable hemp in the state. Licenses are required for hemp growers, processors, and retailers of consumable hemp products.

A 2024 University of Georgia economic impact report said hemp contributes about $150 million annually in state taxes.

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