Bipartisan Bill Would Regulate Hemp-Derived THC and CBD Products Nationwide

A bipartisan duo of congressmen last week introduced legislation to regulate hemp-derived products nationwide. Known as the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection (HEMP) Act, the legislation was filed on Thursday by Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia and Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas.

Currently, businesses manufacturing or marketing hemp-derived cannabinoid products operate with limited and inconsistent federal guidance, and state regulatory efforts have been inconsistent. As a result, intoxicating products are often available without regulation, and non-intoxicating products are often reported to be untested or improperly labeled.

“Despite raising repeated concerns about the ongoing confusion regarding the safety, consumption and sale of CBD-containing products until a discussion draft of this bill was circulated, I believe we have yet to see meaningful progress at the federal level,” Griffith said in a statement on Thursday.

“I am proud to lead the effort in the House along with Representative Veasey to present a path forward for the federal regulation of CBD products,” he added. “After discussions with stakeholders, federal officials and other relevant authorities, I believe the HEMP Act is a positive step forward to deliver federal clarity to the American hemp landscape, protecting consumers and providing a stable marketplace for legitimate producers. I look forward to working with my colleagues, the Trump Administration and the FDA to perfect this bill.”

Bill Caps Cannabinoids in Hemp Products

If passed, the HEMP Act would regulate products with non-intoxicating cannabinoids such as CBD, as well as intoxicating compounds including hemp-derived delta-9 THC. Limits for non-intoxicating cannabinoids would vary by product type.

Oral products such as beverages and edibles would be limited to 10 milligrams CBD (or other non-intoxicating cannabinoids) per serving and 50 milligrams per package. Topical products and inhalable products would be capped at 100 milligrams per dose and 500 milligrams per package of non-intoxicating cannabinoids.

All product types containing THC and other intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids would face a limit of 5 milligrams per serving and 30 milligrams per package. The legislation specifically excludes cannabinoids sourced from marijuana.

New Clarity for Hemp Operators

Thomas Winstanely, executive vice president of edibles.com, a national marketplace for hemp-derived THC products owned by parent company of Edible Arrangements, says the HEMP Act will give new clarity to the industry.

“For too long, hemp product safety has been dictated by confusion and loopholes, not science. This legislation offers long-overdue clarity, protecting consumers, empowering responsible businesses, and finally drawing a line between regulated and reckless,” Winstanely writes in a statement to IgniteIt. “It’s a rare moment of bipartisan action that prioritizes both public health and American agriculture. This marks the beginning of a more accountable, transparent marketplace–one where veterans, farmers, and consumers alike can trust what they’re getting and who they’re getting it from.”

Critics of cannabinoid caps have argued that strict limits could disadvantage small producers or conflict with existing state frameworks.