ANALYSIS: Hemp’s Legal Woes Grow Despite Farm Bill Delay

Last November, I predicted that Congress would recriminalize hemp-derived THC in 2025. However, days later, lawmakers extended the 2018 Farm Bill’s expiration until Sept. 30. With little time between then and the end of the legislative session, products containing delta-8 THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids will likely remain legal under federal law until 2026.

In the meantime, states are passing stricter regulations for hemp-derived THC products, which were inadvertently legalized in 2018. Since then, 11 states have banned all hemp-derived THC products, eight are regulating them as cannabis, and nine have created brand-new regulations to rein in the unruly market. ...