Protecting Consumers: Who's Against Arizona Hemp Bill And Why?

Arizona Dispensaries Association (ADA), an organization promoting a safe patient and consumer-focused cannabis industry has teamed up with Arizona Poison Centers in opposition to a measure that would authorize the production, harvesting, transporting, processing, manufacturing and retailing of industrial hemp.

Why?

"Since the Bill does not provide any of the amendments discussed in hearings to remove intoxicating products, the Arizona Dispensaries Association has recently registered as opposed to SB 1271," Ann Torrez, executive director of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, said on Monday.

The Phoenix-based organization further stressed that SB 1271 allows for the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products without parody in oversight or regulation, as seen in the marijuana industry.

Products may not have the same stringent testing for toxic chemical byproducts along with excessive and dangerous amounts of THC in these products, ADA continued.

A Legal Loophole

The loophole puts hemp-derived products containing unlimited amounts of intoxicants in compliance with the Farm Bill definition of hemp, resulting in impairing delta 8,delta-9, and other products being sold in the marketplace with far higher concentrations of THC than what is permitted in Arizona's marijuana program.

The current loophole is also allowing counterfeit products which look like children's candy and licensed cannabis brands that create tremendous consumer confusion.

According to Arizona Poison Centers' data, there were 739 cases of cannabis-related incidents in 2022, over half of which involved children. Of the 394 pediatric cases, 60% involved a hospital visit.

"We're asking our legislators not to pass SB1271 to prevent the proliferation of intoxicating products," Torrez added. "Arizona voters have trusted our legislators to honor their wishes that intoxicating products are sold in a legal, regulated and limited manner," said Torrez.

To that end, American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) said last week that SB 1271 will "permit anyone with an industrial hemp license in Arizona to produce unregulated and untaxed intoxicating products, which could create one of the largest loopholes for intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids in the country."

Meanwhile, ADA was behind Senate Bill 1715, which sought to make the manufacturing and sales of the hemp-derived compound a felony. The measure, which passed the Arizona Senate on March 15, sought to ban "hemp-derived manufactured impairing cannabinoids."

Photo: Courtesy of Matteo Paganelli on Unsplash