It is no secret that intoxicating hemp products have increased in availability and popularity across the United States in recent years, including in Rhode Island. The rise in intoxicating hemp products was the result of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation nationwide.
Regulators in Rhode Island recently announced that they will be pausing the issuance of new hemp retailer and distributor licenses in the state.
“Ten applicants seeking retail hemp licenses may have to wait until next March or longer after the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission paused issuing new licenses pending the completion of a study on regulating intoxicating THC beverages sold in liquor stores and bars.” reported Rhode Island Current in its local coverage.
“The three-member panel voted unanimously at its monthly meeting Friday to temporarily suspend taking applications and granting new licenses. Liquor stores, bars and restaurants have been able to take part in the legal hemp market since last summer.” the media outlet also reported.
Prior to the pause on issuing new hemp retailer and distributor licenses, the State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation had issued 120 retailer and distributor licenses. The first retailer license was issued to Zaiqam Inc. (DBA Queens Smoke Shop) on May 10, 2022, and the first distributor license was issued to Lovewell Farms, LLC on August 2, 2022.
Rhode Island is not alone in re-examining its regulatory approach to intoxicating hemp products. Most states in the U.S. have either passed new measures to limit the intoxicating hemp industry or are exploring doing so.
Some mainstream media outlets and lawmakers who oppose the emerging cannabis industry have characterized intoxicating hemp products as being part of a ‘loophole’ in the 2018 Farm Bill. However, that is a mischaracterization. Hemp was legalized nationwide, and along with it, products derived from it.
To be fair, perhaps some lawmakers and journalists did not know enough about the hemp plant prior to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, but that is their own willful ignorance to deal with, and it shouldn’t be forced upon members of the emerging industry who are trying to do things the right way.
Scientifically speaking, hemp is cannabis, and cannabis is hemp. The only reason why there is a distinction between the two in U.S. law is because of pointless bureaucracy. Rather than place an arbitrary THC limit on hemp harvests, it would make far more sense to apply a THC threshold limit to end products. That is a concept proposed by Morris Beegle, President of We Are For Better Alternatives, during a panel discussion at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin (which I moderated).