Missouri hemp businesses face uphill battle amid new THC regulations
Erika McGuire
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A deal to end the federal government shutdown included a provision that would limit how much THC can be legally contained in hemp-derived products.
Under the new rule, hemp products could contain no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. Experts note that hemp generally has much lower levels of THC than marijuana under federal law and effectively bans most hemp-derived consumer products.
The 2018 Farm Bill allows hemp with up to a 0.3% of THC per serving by dry weight.
Last year, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services estimated 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops, and 1,800 food manufacturers, were selling products in Missouri that would be banned under the proposed regulations.
A report called “Missouri Hemp Hoax” analyzed 55 products purchases from unlicensed retailers across the state. Testing found that 53 of the 55 products exceeded the 0.3% THC threshold. It found most products contained total THC between 10%-80%. It also found 16 of the 55 products failed for dangerous contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides or residual solvents.
Ethan Jones, owner of MindRight Wellness in downtown Columbia, has sold hemp products for five years. He said his business would be significantly affected if the House passes the measure.
“I have dispensaries referring business to me because these are people that are going to look for relief, and they’re not selling it,” Jones said. “Enough to make a financial impact to my business, that’s for sure. But on top of that, even further, eliminate the chance for me to help people in a way that I’ve been helping people for many years now in a very safe and effective way,”
Jones’s most popular product is a full-spectrum CBD gummy that contains 0.3% THC per serving. He said he sells between 40-60 containers a month, accounting for about 6.6% of his monthly sales. He said the gummies help people sleep, anxiety, pain relief etc.
According to Jones, most of his customers are working adults and older adults.
He added the new restrictions would force customers to look elsewhere for a product they use for health-related reasons.
“It’s confusing to hear all of this change, as it would be someone who’s been buying the same product for five years and now having no option to buy that, or unless they’re going to get funneled into a dispensary and pay probably three or four times the actual price for the same exact product,” he said.
With hemp-derived products possibly containing .04% per container, Jones says it would nearly make all products illegal,
“As it stands right now within that language there would be really no hemp industry left. So I don’t, it sounds purposeful to me, that they did it that way. Right now, within the regulations, that .03% per serving has been extremely safe,” Jones said.
“If you really look into people benefiting from these types of products, so in reality it could even get to the point that people end up going down an even worse route for literally just not having a simple legal option available anymore,” he added.