[[{“value”:”
Tennessee lawmakers have been cracking down on regulations for hemp businesses across the state, and this could mean serious implications for those in the industry.
House Bill 1148 in Tennessee aims to change the state’s hemp laws. The bill seeks to remove two compounds, THCa and THCp, from the list of allowed hemp-derived cannabinoids.
On February 26, the Criminal Justice Subcommittee recommended House Bill 1148 for passage with amendments, and it’s currently under review by the House Judiciary Committee.
If the bill goes through, it would ban the sale of all products with THCa, a chemical found in plants like cannabis. When heated, it turns into THC, which is what gets people high.
If the ban goes through, Snapdragon Hemp, among many other local businesses, could lose hundreds of their products.
“That gets rid of pretty much any of the smokeable products, any of the concentrates and any of the vapes,” says CEO of Snapdragon Hemp, Joshua Manning.
For Tennessee businesses that make their own products, the ban would be devastating, and they would feel the effects almost immediately.
“The total hit of revenue would be like a 60% drop in sales,” Manning says.
Manning says the ongoing dispute between lawmakers and the hemp industry is prompting companies to push back, and Manning says they’re doing everything they can. He says Snapdragon’s goal is to promote safety and education around what they produce to prevent people from getting their hands on dangerous products.
“There are so many ways you can get bad products in the state,” he says. “What we’re trying to do is set it up to say if you follow these rules and only sell these products that have followed these rules, it’s a safe product to do.”
This means complying with state laws, testing products, enforcing age restrictions, having proper licensing, and being transparent with consumers.
Manning says a ban could increase that danger.
“Getting rid of THCa is only going to make that side of the industry blow up, because that’ll be the only option,” Manning says. “These gas stations and smoke shops will go heavier with what they can sell, and it’s going to be more aggressive than it has been.”
He feels as though the hemp industry hasn’t been receiving the support it needs.
“If they change the regulation after the fact, we’ve been doing what we’ve been doing now for five or six years, and you say, alright, let’s crush this industry, because we don’t like what is has become. We tried to say this is what it needs to become.”
The bill is scheduled for a hearing before the house judiciary on March 5.
”}]] House Bill 1148 could have significant effects on Tennessee’s hemp businesses as it seeks to ban products containing THCa, impacting local companies like Snapdragon Hemp and raising concerns in the industry. Read More
