A bill that would heavily regulate CBD and hemp-derived products sailed through the House of Representatives on Thursday without debate despite the vote reflecting some contention on the bill.
The House voted 76-15-11 to approve HB445 by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, largely along party lines.
The bill would hit all hemp-derived products, psychoactive or not, and critics warn it could regulate the industry right out of business.
If the legislation receives full passage, it would limit even nonpsychoactive CBD products to locations restricted to customers under 21, including existing liquor stores and standalone CBD stores. The bill would also heavily impact the consumer market, as it would ban the sale of any CBD products using hemp cultivated outside of the state of Alabama.
It also caps products to 5 mg of THC, a drastic reduction considering products on the shelves currently can contain more than 20 times that amount.
“We oppose rushed legislation that fails to consider its full impact,” said Molly Cole of the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association during a public hearing on the bill. “This session alone we have seen at least seven hemp-related bill introduced, which tells us this is a complex issue; yet instead of a coordinated approach, we are seeing reactionary proposals that could devastate businesses and eliminate over 10,000 jobs in Alabama.”
The bill now moves forward to the Senate for consideration.
