As the hemp industry continues with the delta-8 THC craze, another minor cannabinoid is beginning to see market prevalence. THC-O-acetate, commonly referred to as THC-O or ATHC, has also been referred to as the “spiritual cannabinoid,” with some users likening the effect to psilocybin when ingested. Currently, there is a dearth of clinical research regarding efficacy, dosage, and benefits of THC-O.
We anticipate a substitute filing by Representative King that will substantially change some of the language discussed in this blog.
On March 11, 2021, Rep. Tracy King (D) filed HB 3948 that focuses on the regulation and production of hemp and consumable hemp products in Texas. This bill provides administrative penalties, imposes and authorizes fees, and creates criminal offenses. Additionally, the bill covers higher institutions, permissible THC content, additives, synthetics, and more. Below, we’ve summarized this bill to keep you in-the-know with Texas hemp legislation. The Senate version of this bill is SB 1776.
Breweries, distilleries, and wineries with ambitions of infusing or selling their beverages with cannabidiol (“CBD”) and/or tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) derived from hemp will have to wait for a change in law by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”), or a divergent conclusion by the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) finding that these beverages fall into a legal exemption. On April 25, 2019, the TTB, which regulates the alcohol and tobacco industries in the United States, issued an industry circular as a response to numerous inquiries from the alcohol and hemp/CBD industries about whether CBD or THC can legally be introduced into alcoholic beverages: the TTB made it clear that, at this time, it will not approve formula or label applications for alcoholic beverages containing CBD or THC.
On January 19, 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) put forth a final rule to concretely establish a domestic hemp production program. This final rule becomes effective on March 22, 2021, and puts forth structured rules, regulations, and guidelines regarding the production of hemp nationwide. The USDA’s final rule is a provisional response to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill), which permitted states and tribal nations to participate in hemp production programs and removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act’s (CSA) definition of marijuana. Until the issuance of this final ruling, the USDA had previously only released an interim final rule, which was open to public comments and suggested revisions. Below, we break down the distinguishing and notable provisions the USDA incorporated into this new framework.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) currently prohibits cannabidiol (“CBD”) from being added to food, beverages, or cosmetics and from being sold as a dietary supplement. While we await further guidelines from the FDA, Congressmen Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Morgan Griffith of Virginia introduced on September 4, 2020, H.R. 8179, the “Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020”, which would allow hemp, CBD, and any other hemp-derived ingredient to be sold as dietary ingredients in dietary supplements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C Act”).
As different cannabinoids begin to gain recognition in the hemp and marijuana industries, it is crucial to discuss the legal considerations and challenges facing manufacturers, producers, retailers, and other cannabis-based businesses. In such a new space, promising cannabinoids have the potential to make a significant impact on the market. One of the cannabinoids gaining notable traction is known as cannabinol (“CBN”). Today on the blog, we review its legal status.
The booming cannabidiol (CBD) industry is expanding at a rapid rate and shows no signs of slowing down. The legal cannabis industry also continues to make new strides, as cannabis advocates, reform groups, lobbyists, and lawyers remain active in legislative efforts. As time progresses, more states are adapting and adjusting their respective policies. Cannabis and hemp products, including those which contain hemp-derived CBD, are becoming less taboo and these products are now more legally accessible than ever before.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (“DSHS”) adopted and published its final rules governing the Texas consumable hemp program (the “DSHS Final Rules”) to the Texas Register. The DSHS Final Rules become effective on August 2, 2020. Any potential changes to the statute governing our hemp program will not occur until the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January of 2021.
To the detriment of many in the Texas hemp industry, the DSHS Final Rules only slightly diverge from the DSHS Proposed Rules. Our prior blog series on the DSHS Proposed Rules provided an in-depth analysis of the proposed DSHS rules. This blog focuses on the changes made by DSHS in the adopted Final Rules.
Earlier last month, Oklahoma’s Legislature passed a bill requiring the Department of Public Safety to spend $300,000 on a pilot program aimed at testing a cannabis breathalyzer to determine whether patients of Oklahoma’s medical cannabis program may be driving impaired.
Our hemp attorneys recently sat down to identify seven issues with the Texas Department of State Health Services (“DSHS”) Proposed Rules for Texas’ consumable hemp program. If you are a consumable hemp manufacturer, processor, distributor, or retailer, it is not too late to submit your comments directly to DSHS. Comments can be submitted to DSHS until June 7, 2020.
