Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, the Republican governor of Alabama, signed legislation May 14, which regulates and taxes certain hemp-derived THC product while prohibiting others.
Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest) is the sponsor. House Bill 445 The law prohibits hemp products that can be smoked and authorizes, more generally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) to issue licenses and supervise hemp-based consumable product producers and wholesalers.
A 10% excise duty will be placed on all hemp-based products. It also requires that they are tested and labeled, as well as prohibiting sales to people under 21. Online sales and direct delivery is prohibited.
The product regulation begins on January 1, 2026, while the law goes into force on July 1, 2020.
Whitt Writer Ivey has signed X. We’ve made a significant step in bringing accountability and oversight to an unregulated industry.
Whitt told also the Alabama Daily News The state’s hemp business has become the wild west since the Farm Bill of 2018, which legalized hemp federally. Hemp is defined as cannabis plants that test at less than 0.3% delta-9-THC on a weight basis. Federal legislation doesn’t regulate the finished products, so manufacturers can create intoxicating goods from plant derivatives without state intervention.
H.B. 445 limits the amount of THC in edible hemp products to 10 milligrams per serving or 40 milligrams for each container. Beverages are limited to only four 12-fluid-ounce portions and a maximum total of 10 mg. H.B. Other product categories, such as topicals and sublinguals are restricted to 40 milligrams total THC.
The legislation prohibits not only smoky products but also any other product which contains “psychoactive cannabisoids”, which are produced by chemical modification, synthesis or conversion of another cannabinoid. This is usually the case with delta-8 THC which is converted from CBD in laboratories.
H. Marty Schelper, the founder of Alabama Cannabis Coalition and its president said that in a Video She posted on Wednesday that she believed “erroneous information” led to the passage of the bill.
“We’re extremely disappointed in the legislators. We’re also very disappointed in the Governor. Kay Ivey”, she added, mentioning Whitt as well as state senator Tim Melson who sponsored the bill. “What H.B. You turned the people who needed hemp flowers to the street, the black market. Your concern for the safety of the people is overwhelming. [certificates of analysis] “You’re putting people on the streets who need flower out of reach because you control the situation.”
Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin is a reformer of cannabis who advocates for legalization. Pardons H.B. 445, which would have criminalized the possession of cannabis by thousands in Alabamians who live in Birmingham, was also opposed. Ivey is urged to reject H.B.
The Governor Ivey’s signing of HB445 was a mistake, he said. Writer The 14th of May on X. “Folks who backed this bill now own what comes next—lost jobs, shuttered businesses, and millions in lost revenue. I hope that it is either challenged in court or corrected as quickly as possible in the next legislative session. Alabama deserves more than this.”
Whitt, who is sponsoring the event, spoke with local journalists on Wednesday to discuss his concern that the hemp industry in his state will be transformed into THC-rich beverages sold by bars and restaurants as a result of the Farm Bill 2018.
H.B. 445 limits the ABC Board to licensing only those retailers who have a valid retail liquor license or that sells consumable hemp-derived THC products. According to H.B.
The only exception is licensed pharmacies that sell sublinguals or topicals. Grocery stores with at least 14,000 sq. ft. dedicated to the sale of food items can sell hemp-THC drinks that are separated from those intended for children and kept behind glass.
The hemp industry criticized this legislation as being overly strict. However, prohibitionists said that it was not strong enough.
Stephanie Holden Smith of the Alabama Policy Institute, the president and CEO said that the Alabama elected officials were “condoning recreational use of hazardous products” by passing H.B. 445.
She said that the amended bill allows THC drinkable in all grocery stores in Alabama, which are frequented by Alabama’s young citizens. Public statement. “API remains firm in its belief that products derived from hemp containing psychoactive THC should be prohibited completely. “We believe the legislation to restrict access to psychoactive THC products has fallen short.”
H.B. Under H.B. Multi-time violators could also be charged with felony offenses.