Florida Senate Votes Unanimously to Restrict Hemp-Derived THC

Lawmakers in the Florida Senate this week voted unanimously to approve a bill seeking to ban hemp-derived delta-8 THC products and heavily restrict delta-9 THC products, the Florida Phoenix reports.

SB 438 would limit the amount of delta-9 THC allowed in hemp-derived edible products to five milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per container. THC-infused hemp beverages, however, would be capped at five milligrams per container and would only be allowed in retail locations that hold a liquor license.

The proposal also requires third-party testing of all THC-infused hemp products in the state, and the bill would ban public advertisements for hemp THC products and implement more substantial marketing restrictions in the name of protecting children from potential THC exposure.

State lawmakers approved a similar bill last year — also with unanimous Senate support — but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the proposal. The veto was a strategic choice by the governor, however, as many hemp industry stakeholders subsequently joined his fight against the cannabis legalization amendment, which failed to pass with just 56% voter support.

Florida state Sen. Tracie Davis (D), a co-sponsor for SB 438, acknowledged in her closing statements the bill’s similarity to last year’s proposal. “This was a bill that was voted,” she said, adding, “there’s not that much that’s different from last year’s bill,” according to the report.