GOP-Led Bill To Regulate Delta-8 THC Products In Kentucky Overwhelmingly Approved In State House

Kentucky House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill regulating hemp-derived delta-8 THC products, sending it to the state Senate. House Bill 544 sponsored by Republican Rep. Rebecca Raymer, which passed in a 97-0 vote on Thursday, was applauded by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, a national advocacy group for the hemp industry, reported The Associated Press.

The move comes about a month after a different piece of legislation was introduced in the state Senate seeking stricter regulation, that is to say banning all forms of “intoxicating products” made from industrial hemp, such as the delta-8 THC. The proposal, which expands existing language in the state's law, is also designed to outlaw other hemp-derived minor cannabinoids like delta-10 THC, THC-O, and THC-P, as per an unofficial copy of the proposal.

The Kentucky Hemp Association highlighted that a ban on delta-8 THC would result in the loss of potentially billions of dollars by Kentucky's cannabis economy, including growers, producers and retail operators.

Delta-8 THC is a chemical component of the cannabis plant, and although it occurs naturally in very small concentrations, it can produce mild psychoactive effects in some people similar to delta-9 THC (the compound that gets you high).

What’s the problem with it? 

New industrial methodologies enable the controversial delta-8 THC to be converted from CBD derived from hemp. Products developed as a result of the 2018 federal Farm Bill that legalized hemp are therefore not subject to the same testing requirements as cannabis, creating a legal loophole.

As for House Bill 544, lawmakers said that law enforcement and school officials have called on action to regulate delta-8 THC products to keep them away from minors.

Protecting Children

“We have this product getting into the hands of children,” Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade said during the debate. “We have some that have overdosed on this product.”

The legislation would also direct Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services to create rules for the production and sale of these products in the state. Furthermore, it sets the guidelines for regulation like prohibiting the sale of delta-8 THC products to those under the age of 21. Under the measure, these products must be kept behind the retail counters and accurately labeled.

“The Kentucky hemp program is a staple for our agricultural community, but the selling and usage of unregulated THC is a danger to every Kentuckian who may use it,” Raymer stated. “These products have no standards for production. If someone were to purchase Delta-8, they have no way of determining if it is safe. This measure will both protect our consumers and enhance the industry.”

Kentucky is not the only state grappling with how to address these controversial products. West Virginia, Arkansas, Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia, recently undertook steps in the same direction.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Hannah Spray Photography and PNOIARSA on Shutterstock