A government funding deal that could end the longest government shutdown in US history faced a stumbling block — intoxicating hemp.
UPDATE: A Senate amendment that would have eliminated language prohibiting hemp products containing THC (76-24), was rejected by the Senate. We’ll be back tomorrow with more.
What led up to the event?
The government shut down on 1 October 2025 because Congress did not pass any legislation that would maintain the necessary flow of funds to operate at full speed. Some US government services were halted, and federal workers have either been placed on leave without pay or have not been paid.
There have been several attempts to reach agreement on funding.
One provision of a funding agreement being discussed right now would prohibit the sale unregulated hemp products that are intoxicating. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the Republican Senator from Kentucky is against it. He wants to see a vote on his amendment to remove the language which he believes will “unfairly target Kentucky’s hemp industry” before allowing the bill to clear the Senate.
It is important to note that I do not intend to delay this bill. “The timing has already been fixed by Senate procedure,” stated Senator Paul. filed the amendment yesterday. But there are extraneous words in this package, which have nothing to do about reopening of the government. They would hurt Kentucky’s hemp growers and small businesses. It’s my duty to fight for Kentucky jobs.”
US Hemp Roundtable criticized this language as well.
The language used in the proposal is misleading. It claims to protect non-intoxicating CBD-derived products. However, more than 90 percent of hemp-derived CBD-based products have THC levels that exceed the cap proposed of.4mg per container.
If passed as written, according to the group’s claims, this legislation could threaten over 300,000 American Jobs, wipe out 95% the industry while costing the state $1.5 Billion in lost tax revenues
“We will continue to work with Senator Rand Paul to create a hemp industry that is regulated and safe.” says a statement.
This intoxicating hemp story is all the result of an oversight in the Farm Bill 2018, which legalised industrial hemp. THC was limited to the delta-9 cannabinoid, which was most often intoxicating. THC, however, can also be made in different forms. For example delta-8 or delta-10. This can be done by manipulating CBD, a hemp-derived non-intoxicating cannabis cannabinoid.