“I think that the representative’s binder about how many amendments must be submitted is a major indication of why this bill should not pass.”
By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
A bill relating to regulations for hemp-derived goods was approved Wednesday by a House committee. However, the sponsor acknowledged that it is still in its infancy and there are only three weeks before the spring legislative session.
The hemp industry is in danger and entrepreneurs who are involved in it could be forced to close their doors.
The legislation would drastically reduce the amount THC, the compound found in cannabis that can get you high, which is allowed in retail hemp-derived products. According to the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, hemp cannot contain more than 0.3 percentage THC, the main psychoactive ingredient that gives you the “high” from ingesting marijuana.
In response to the popularity of Delta-8, a legal product that has flooded the shelves of convenience stores and smoke shops across the country, more than 20 states have passed proposed hemp regulations in the last two years.
Manatee County Republican Will Robinson Jr. is the bill’s sponsor.
The bill was first heard in committee in the Senate and House. Due to the negative reaction from hemp product sellers and users, Robinson amended the bill to increase the THC levels.
They will now not exceed 5 mg per serving or 50 mg per package. The Senate’s version ( ST 1676) is much lower. It has a per-serving size of 0.5 mg and a total serving size of 2 mg.
Approximately two dozen hemp entrepreneurs spoke before the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, stating that these changes were not sufficient and would cause a major disruption to the industry if enacted.
“It’s overregulation. It’s anti-free market. It’s anti small business and it’s against free Florida principals,” stated William Clark of The Libertarian Party of Florida.
Robinson stated that he has a binder with amendments that he would like to add to the bill but that the appropriations committee wasn’t the right place for them to be introduced. Robinson stated that he would bring forward a “strike all” amendment, which is when a bill reworks an entire document. This happens when the bill is sent to the Infrastructure Strategies Committee. Its last stop before it reaches the House floor.
Those who heard him make that comment were not impressed.
Carlos Hermida, who owns a Tampa hemp dispensary, said that he urges us to either kill the bill or place it in the next session. “I believe the binder of the representative on how many amendments must be submitted is a significant indicator about why this bill should not pass.”
Hemp entrepreneurs claimed that passing the bill would result in the loss of thousands and possibly even tens of thousands more jobs for the state. They cited Whitney Economics’ economic analysis and survey, which was cited by several media outlets.
Robinson stated that he did not trust the analysis because it was based on a law that would ban sales of hemp products.
He says he’s not doing that in his bill.
Robinson stated, “This economic analysis does not justify the paper it was written on.”
Whitney Economics did not respond to our request for comment immediately.
Florida Phoenix published this story for the first time.
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The post Florida House Committee Approves Hemp Product Restriction Bill that Advocates Say Is Flawed originally appeared on Marijuana Moment.
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