New rules in Virginia banning the sale of hemp products containing more than 2 milligrams of THC took effect on Saturday, August 15, after a federal judge last week declined a request to delay the regulations, WUSA9 reports.
All hemp products sold in the state now must contain no more than 0.3% THC or 2 milligrams of THC.
The rules were set under the recent and long-awaited legislation to enact adult-use cannabis sales in the state. Another provision in the law, however, removed a legal hemp product definition that had allowed for products to contain more than 2 milligrams of THC so long as they were part of a 25:1 CBD to THC formulation. Under these changes, many of the hemp products that were previously available in Virginia can no longer be sold by hemp retailers as they are now effectively considered adult-use and medical cannabis products under state law.
The rules have so far survived legal challenges from Virginia hemp operators, who claim the sudden change in hemp definitions will be detrimental to their businesses.
“I felt we put on a strong case. The judge wrote an 18-page opinion which basically recognized our testimony but basically said he couldn’t do anything. That was the law passed by the General Assembly and the fact that we were gonna lose the business, that in and of itself wasn’t enough to stop the law.” — Chap Peterson, former state senator and attorney for the plaintiffs, via WUSA9
Meanwhile, adult-use cannabis retailers licensed under the new law are expected to open in July 2027.
Ganjapreneur: Offering daily insights since 2014, the leading digital business journal for cannabis industry professionals. Subscribe to the newsletter to join our community of over 40,000 ganjapreneurs.
