When asked by clients when marijuana will be finally legalized, as a Cannabis Attorney, my response is always “Cannabis’ been legal for nearly a decade.” It’s not surprising that this response often results in confused looks. Congress legalized industrial hemp in 2014. Congress legalized industrial hemp in 2014.
Contrary popular belief, “hemp”, as it is commonly known, does not contain any hemp. It is a good idea to use a bilingual translator Cannabis is not an independent plant species. It is only the level of delta-9-THC that makes the difference between marijuana and legal hemp. Cannabis containing more than 0.3% THC is considered marijuana. The rest of the cannabis plant is called hemp. The distinction between hemp and cannabis is almost irrelevant, as the national market for cannabis products has grown rapidly.
Total Wine sells THC beverages, and DoorDash offers a variety of cannabis products made from hemp, such as gummies, flower, and vapes. Some of my clients run direct-to consumers websites that sell hemp-based cannabis products to customers across the US. One client was even called “Amazon of marijuana.” It is noteworthy that all its products comply with the federal definition for hemp. One of the biggest cannabis seed banks on the planet is another client. It sells legal seeds in the US to customers who want to grow their cannabis.
Why is this possible given the “legalization” rhetoric and the apparent stalling of efforts to reclassify cannabis?
We’ll start with the seeds. All cannabis products are derived from the plant Cannabis. Hemp is cannabis, as I have said. The only legal difference between hemp that is legal and marijuana that is illegal, the THC concentration in the cannabis seed. It is important to note that the possibility of a cannabis seed growing into a marijuana plant with more THC than 0.3 per cent does not affect its legal status. The DEA has confirmed this. It turns out that no cannabis seed contains more than 0.3% THC. Cannabis seeds do not produce THC. THC is the residue left on the seeds’ surfaces after they touched other parts. This is easy to wash off. Practically, it means that The following are some of the most effective ways to improve your own personal effectiveness. Cannabis seeds are legal.
What about products containing THC? Long ago, it was assumed that Congress did not intend to create an intoxicating market when they legalized hemp. The expansive definition of hemp that Congress created clearly opened the door for the variety of THC-derived hemp products sold in the US. This includes edibles such as gummies or drinks with tinctures, as well inhalables. It is understandable that you would wonder how it is possible, since the THC content of hemp cannot exceed 0.3 percent. You might ask how this is possible, given that the THC limit for hemp is 0.3 percent. It turns out that THC is measured in percentages, and not by milligrams. For instance, a hemp-derived THC gummy can easily contain 20 milligrams of THC—more than sufficient to cause intoxication—while remaining within the 0.3 percent limit. This is also true of drinks, vapes and tinctures, as well as other categories. Â
Hemp is emerging, perhaps unintentionally, as the main vehicle to legalize cannabis. Hemp has been legal in the United States for over a decade, while marijuana reform is still stalled. In that period, the number of products made from hemp has increased dramatically. They now include a wide range of categories and formats. These products have seen a rapid expansion of the market, with many marijuana brands pivoting to hemp. Also, new regulatory models are emerging. What I refer to as the “Three Pillars Approach” is what makes up the best regulatory models. The three pillars are age limits, manufacturing safety and labeling. They’re all meant to help adults make informed decisions about cannabis products.Â
In the midst of the cannabis reform battle, where prohibitionists are spreading misinformation, hemp is showing that it’s possible to have a national legal cannabis market. Hemp is marijuana and I encourage you to strongly support hemp bills both in the US Congress as well as in your state.