NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Inside Xhale Vape Shop on Rosa Parks Boulevard, a large wall filled with hemp products could soon be wiped clean.
That’s the concern of owner Bashoy Habib, who says a proposed amendment to Tennessee HB 1376 could devastate his business.
The controversial amendment, introduced Wednesday by Representative Mark Cochran, would ban the sale of hemp products containing more than 0.3% THC. That includes most hemp-derived THC-A products, which are non-psychoactive in their raw form but convert to THC when heated, the chemical responsible for the “high” in marijuana.
Habib says these products make up a significant part of his sales.
“This whole wall is THCA. It’s about one-third of our total income,” he explained.
Under the amendment, enforcement would also move from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission, placing hemp regulation in the same category as alcohol.
Supporters of the bill argue that tighter regulation is necessary.
But Habib, like many in the hemp industry, says the shifting legal landscape is making it nearly impossible to stay in business.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” he said. “We invested in these products after the legislature made them legal. Now, just two years later, they want to ban them. It’s already hard enough to open a vape shop — now this.”
If the bill passes, it won’t just affect vape shops. Bars and convenience stores that sell hemp-infused beverages could also take a financial hit.
For now, the bill is still making its way through the Tennessee Senate.
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A controversial amendment, introduced Wednesday by Representative Mark Cochran, would ban the sale of hemp products containing more than 0.3% THC. Read More
