Louisiana bill proposes age restriction on hemp products
A new bill in Louisiana aims to make it illegal for anyone under 21 to purchase or possess consumable hemp products
A new bill in Louisiana could make it illegal for anyone under 21 years old to purchase or possess consumable hemp products, sparking debate within the cannabis community.”I believe that anyone older than 21 should only be able to purchase hemp just to be on the safe side,” said Mohommad Haifa, the manager at 318 Cloudz smoke and vape shop on St. Charles.Haifa noted that THC can easily be abused, stating, “THC is not crazy like nicotine or liquor but at the same time anybody who is younger than 21, I don’t feel like they have the same responsibility as anyone older than 21.”Currently, the law does not include hemp products in the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law. If the new law passes, anyone under 21 could receive a citation and a $100 fine, and provides that the citation shall not be included on the person’s criminal history record. State Rep. Laurie Schlegel, who filed the bill, said the bill is modeled off of alcohol laws and guardrails for selling to minors. She mentioned an increase in calls to the Louisiana Poison Center, with minors getting access to THC-consumable hemp.”We fully support that bill. We became a 21 and plus store a few years ago just on our own volition,” said Jeffrey Wells, in-store manager at Simply Cannabis.Wells explained that the legislation has created uncertainty in the industry but emphasized the importance of caution with minors.”With THC, it is a psychoactive substance. It does give you that high feeling,” he said.”Be careful, young minds are still developing so it is something that is helpful that the age limit would be raised,” Wells added.
A new bill in Louisiana could make it illegal for anyone under 21 years old to purchase or possess consumable hemp products, sparking debate within the cannabis community.
“I believe that anyone older than 21 should only be able to purchase hemp just to be on the safe side,” said Mohommad Haifa, the manager at 318 Cloudz smoke and vape shop on St. Charles.
Haifa noted that THC can easily be abused, stating, “THC is not crazy like nicotine or liquor but at the same time anybody who is younger than 21, I don’t feel like they have the same responsibility as anyone older than 21.”
Currently, the law does not include hemp products in the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law. If the new law passes, anyone under 21 could receive a citation and a $100 fine, and provides that the citation shall not be included on the person’s criminal history record.
State Rep. Laurie Schlegel, who filed the bill, said the bill is modeled off of alcohol laws and guardrails for selling to minors. She mentioned an increase in calls to the Louisiana Poison Center, with minors getting access to THC-consumable hemp.
“We fully support that bill. We became a 21 and plus store a few years ago just on our own volition,” said Jeffrey Wells, in-store manager at Simply Cannabis.
Wells explained that the legislation has created uncertainty in the industry but emphasized the importance of caution with minors.
“With THC, it is a psychoactive substance. It does give you that high feeling,” he said.
“Be careful, young minds are still developing so it is something that is helpful that the age limit would be raised,” Wells added.
