A proposal to regulate hemp-derived products in Alabama failed to pass the Senate Healthcare Committee, halting efforts to impose stricter controls on the sale and distribution of psychoactive hemp products. Senate Bill 237, introduced by State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), aimed to create a regulatory framework for products containing cannabinoids such as Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC. The bill was met with strong opposition from small business owners and industry advocates who argued that it would stifle local businesses and push consumers toward an unregulated market.
The legislation sought to classify hemp beverages similarly to beer and wine while treating other hemp products, such as gummies and vapes, like tobacco. It would have placed oversight under the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board, requiring businesses to obtain licenses to manufacture, distribute, and sell these products. Additionally, the bill proposed a 10% tax on hemp beverages and products, introduced strict labeling and testing requirements, and banned smokable hemp products. Violations could have led to product seizures by law enforcement and the ABC Board without a warrant.
Opponents of the bill criticized the measure as overly restrictive and burdensome. They argued that placing hemp regulation under the ABC Board, which primarily oversees alcohol, was misguided and would create unnecessary obstacles for businesses. Some claimed the bill’s provisions favored larger corporate distributors over smaller independent retailers and warned that excessive regulation could encourage the growth of a black market for unregulated hemp products. Others voiced concerns that the bill would penalize hemp more harshly than alcohol and tobacco, despite hemp not being linked to fatalities.
Supporters of the bill contended that the regulations were necessary to prevent minors from accessing psychoactive hemp products. Some proponents went further, arguing that consumable hemp products should not be legal at all in Alabama, warning that regulation could serve as a gateway to the normalization of recreational marijuana use.
An amendment was added to the bill, restricting sales of hemp products to standalone retail locations that only allow entry to individuals 21 and older. Despite the change, the bill failed to move forward in committee, with four senators voting in favor, four against, and four abstaining.
The outcome effectively ends this legislative effort, for now, leaving the future of hemp regulation in Alabama uncertain.
A proposal to regulate hemp-derived products in Alabama failed to pass the Senate Healthcare Committee, halting efforts to impose stricter controls on the sale and distribution of psychoactive hemp products. Read More
