Florida lawmakers have passed a bill to ban delta-8 and THC products and establish other restrictions on the state’s hemp industry, sending the bill to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for his signature, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The bill, which unanimously passed the Senate in February, would also ban delta-10 THC and hemp-infused gummies, tinctures, and vaporizer products. Under the proposal, any retail hemp products would have their THC content capped at 5 milligrams per serving or 50 milligrams per package. Product packaging perceived as appealing to children would also be banned under the proposal.
Hemp entrepreneur JJ Coombs said in the report that under the new rules, he would likely need to move his three hemp businesses — which account for 150 full-time positions — out of Florida.
“[The bill] hands over our industry to the black market, to dispensaries and to out-of-state manufacturers that are still shipping into the state of Florida.” — Coombs, via Tampa Bay Times
Florida’s hemp industry currently employs about 100,000 state residents, the report said.
Meanwhile, voters may get the chance to pass a cannabis legalization constitutional amendment this November if the state Supreme Court allows it after the attorney general challenged the ballot question last year. The court is still deciding the case but the governor said he expects the question will be allowed to go to voters.
A recent study found that delta-8 hemp products are far more popular in states that have yet to legalize adult-use cannabis, suggesting that federal cannabis reforms would drastically reduce demand for synthetically produced cannabinoids.
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