Alabama House Bill Puts New Restrictions on Hemp Product Sales
Alabama House Bill 445 passed the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate for a vote. HB 445 places stricter regulations on the sale of hemp products in the state. The wording of the legislation impacts all hemp-derived products, including CBD products that are nonpsychoactive.
There are several provisions in HB 445, introduced by Rep. Any Whitt from Harvest, Alabama.
- The sale of all hemp-derived products is restricted to locations that only allow customers over 21 years old and older access, like liquor stores.
- Any hemp used for CBD products is to be sourced only from hemp grown and cultivated in Alabama.
- The total amount of THC allowed in a product is capped at 5 mg, which is significantly lower than what many products contain. This restriction, while meant to ensure a product is non-psychoactive, will limit the availability of certain higher-potency products that consumers depend on for wellness. This restriction includes beverages and any other products that are consumed.
- An excise tax is added to the gross sales of hemp-derived products.
HB 445 also authorizes the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to issue licenses and regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of all hemp-derived products. The sale of consumable hemp products to people under 21 is prohibited.
This bill and others like it have been proposed because legislators are concerned about the type and quality of hemp products being sold and their accessibility to children. However, bills like this punish those who are following the law and selling legitimate, safe, and legal CBD products to adult people. CBD products are now available in various retail outlets, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Most businesses selling CBD products allow people under 21 years old to enter. Implementation of HB 445 provisions will significantly limit the public’s access to CBD products.
If the bill passes and the governor signs it, the Alabama CBD industry will be enormously harmed. As Molly Cole of the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association said during a public hearing,
“This session alone, we have seen at least seven hemp-related bills introduced, which tells us this is a complex issue; yet instead of a coordinated approach, we are seeing reactionary proposals that could devastate businesses and eliminate over 10,000 jobs in Alabama.”
This has been a common approach among many U.S. state legislators, and the potential impact on businesses is concerning.
0