When Sen. Mitch McConnell (R–Ky.) introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which legalized hemp nationwide, he claimed the legislation would allow states to "conduct their own oversight plans" and "give the hemp industry the tools" to "create jobs and new opportunities" across the nation. McConnell neglected to mention that those jobs and opportunities had to align with his narrow definition of acceptable hemp uses.
Last November, McConnell codified his disapproval of the hemp industry's success with an amendment to the government funding bill passed that month. The provision bans the sale of any "hemp-derived cannabinoid product" with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. The ban, which takes effect this November, will prohibit the sale of edibles, tinctures, beverages, and vape cartridges containing hemp-derived THC.
