By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
Ashley Guy owns a smokeshop in Tallahassee. She claims to have thrived in Florida since moving from Seattle five years ago. Her profits from cannabis hemp products are more than $5million. She said that if the Florida Legislature approves a new proposal, it would “decimate the business”.
She said that if caps were placed on THC, the compound found in hemp plants which is associated with making you high, then customers would either buy more “gummies” or buy higher dose products online from another state.
Guy and other hemp-industry entrepreneurs will be back in the Legislature in 2024 to fight again for their right to continue making a living from the hemp industry. On Tuesday, a Florida committee of lawmakers decided to restrict hemp products and regulate the market for hemp in Florida.
The industry was strongly opposed to the bill (SB 1698), but the Senate Agriculture Committee passed it unanimously. Remember that both the House and Senate must agree on the legislation before it can be passed.
Colleen Burton, a Republican from Polk County, is the sponsor of this measure.
The bill would bring about a number changes in the hemp industry of the state. It has been operating legally since 2019, just a few months after the passage the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill. This bill legalized hemp production and distribution under federal law, and allowed the states to implement such programs. The Farm Bill defines hemp as cannabis with one important difference: hemp can’t contain more than 0.3% THC.
The hemp industry’s most profitable part has been the production of cannabidiol-containing biomass. CBD is a nonpsychoactive compound that may treat conditions such as anxiety, stress and anxiety.
A few changes
Burton’s Bill tries to make several changes in current law, a legislative analysis shows.
- The THC limit in hemp products would be 2 milligrams for each serving and 10 milligrams for the container.
- The definition of “attractiveness to children” is modified to include packaging that displays toys, novelty shapes, animations or licensed characters, as well as containers that display promotional characters.
- The organizer of a hemp-related event must provide the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services a list of all businesses that will be selling or marketing products derived from hemp at the event and confirm that they are only selling products that come from approved sources. The organizer of the event must make sure that all participating businesses are properly licensed.
- The law states that hemp extract can only be produced, delivered, stored, sold, offered for, or distributed in the state, if certain requirements are met.
Justin Arnold, medical director of Florida Poison Information Center in Tampa, spoke in favor of the proposal.
He said that the bill will have a lasting, life-saving effect on Floridians throughout the state. In the last few years, three poison centers in the state had “watched exposures to hemp extractions cause more harm than ever before, especially in our children.”
Speakers blast proposal
The overwhelming majority of speakers condemned the proposal and said it could cripple Florida’s burgeoning industry for hemp. They urged legislators to stop it.
Vinnie Seudath of Kushy Pies said that it is “arbitrary” to limit the THC content in hemp products.
He said that “these limits would place a significant burden on the businesses and stakeholders of the hemp industry.” “Regulating] these products would increase production costs, restrict the options available to consumers, and hinder the growth in the hemp market. This will have a negative effect on economic opportunities and consumer choices.”
Randy Rembert, a hemp farmer from Canada, says that he has only just begun to see a profit in the last five years. He asked why, if the intention of the measure was to protect children that child-proof protections are not being considered for hemp products. Why don’t you put the correct dosage on bottles like Tylenol? “Just like Ibuprofen?”
Burton and Manatee county House Republican Will Robinson first produced a bill last year that set THC limitations to not exceed 0.5 mg per serving and 2 mg per container. The proposal was raised after receiving negative feedback from hemp entrepreneurs. After the initial limits, the limit was dropped completely. The measure now prohibits the sale of hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC to anyone younger than 21.
The lawmakers seem determined to set these limits this year.
Darryl Rouson, a Pinellas County Democratic State Senator, said that he understands the concerns of members of the hemp industries but doesn’t believe they will go out of business should the proposal become law.
He said, “I’ve heard that this would eliminate small businesses. It will force thousands to close.” “I reject that idea. I believe there should be regulation and that a change in the business model is more appropriate than a total closure.
Burton said that the Legislature has a duty to protect the health of Floridians, including children and adults. This is more important than the bottom line for hemp producers.
She said, “We have more responsibility to the health and well-being of Floridians that to the business models currently being undertaken in Florida.”
This article was originally published by Florida Phoenix.
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