Cannabis News

Minnesota Hemp Businesses And Senators Say Federal THC Ban Will Hurt The State’s Economy

Published

6 months ago

November 12, 2025

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“Senator Klobuchar voted against the hemp provision because he believed it would hurt the state’s small businesses.”

By Ana Radelat, MinnPost

Minnesota has a growing industry of intoxicating hemp products, including soft drinks and gummies. A product ban making its way through Congress in a bill that would reopen the federal government.

The bill gives the industry 365 days before all products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC (a trace) are outlawed. Christopher Lackner, president of the Hemp Beverages Alliance, hopes to give the industry time to push back against the provision, which he called “arbitrary” and “punitive.”

He said he’s betting on “the pushback from consumers, suppliers and distributors and everyone else in the supply chain” that a ban on THC-infused products made from hemp will cause.

“Our hope as an industry is that Congress will come back and meet with all the stakeholders and build a federal hemp beverage framework that worksLackner said.

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, removing it from the federal definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act and treating it as an agricultural commodity. It also opened the doors to the production of “modifying” products derived from hemp.

Minnesota led the nation in harnessing the redefinition of hemp. Whitney Economics’ Latest report on THC beverages It estimated total US THC beverage sales to exceed $1.1 billion in 2024, and Minnesota was a key state in that growth.

Success has come at a price, however. Competing industries, mostly the nation’s nascent legal marijuana industry and, more recently, the beer and spirits industries, furiously lobbied to shut down what they saw as “the loophole”. in the 2018 Farm Bill that has led to an explosion of hemp-infused products.

The marijuana and alcohol industries say hemp products are largely unregulated and some contain dangerous amounts of THC. They also say there are no labeling and marketing restrictions or efforts to keep THC-infused drinks and edibles away from children.

On Monday, the Beer Institute, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and other alcohol trade groups He sent a lobbying letter to members of CongressSen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., urging the rejection of an amendment that would have removed the bill’s blackout language.

“Producers of alcoholic beverages, one of the top consumer products, are asking the Senate to reject Paul’s attempts to allow hemp-derived THC products to be sold across the country without federal regulation and oversight,” the letter said.

Their argument won the day.

The legislation that would have ended the shutdown includes three appropriations bills in fiscal year 2026 to fund various government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where the hemp provision was inserted. All other federal agencies would receive short-term funding — through the end of January — under a continuing resolution, or CR.

While the hemp industry lost the lobbying battle, it gained supporters in the US Capitol. Paul, for example, blocked Senate GOP leaders from getting unanimous approval to fast-track the shutdown bill, which overcame a six-week Democratic gridlock on a 60-40 vote Sunday afternoon.

The US Senate voted to table—or reject—the Paul amendment, 76-24. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D) and Tina Smith (D) of Minnesota were in the minority in support of the effort to remove the hemp language.

“Senator Klobuchar voted against the hemp provision because he believed it would harm the state’s small businesses and because Congress’ efforts to regulate hemp products should take into account states like Minnesota that already have strong regulations,” a Klobuchar spokesperson said.

Lackner also said lawmakers in Congress were trampling on states’ rights to regulate intoxicating hemp products.

“This is a slap in the face to states like Minnesota that have developed regulatory frameworks based on stakeholder input,” he said.

The hemp switch is wrong from every angle‘

Steve Brown, CEO of Nothing but Hemp, a Northeast Minneapolis-based company that makes THC-infused gummies and drinks, brewery emulsions and a variety of other hemp-based products, said the shutdown bill could spur a move into the marijuana industry.

That said, if President Donald Trump signs the legislation, as expected, the manufacture and sale of its products will be illegal under federal law, and it will have a major impact on its market.

Brown said liquor stores could not offer any of his drinks on the shelves. Microbreweries, which have tried to combat declining beer sales by offering THC drinks that are more popular than alcohol among young people, would be breaking federal law if they continued to offer such libations.

And retail stores, including Target, would likely stop selling THC-infused drinks and other products because customers wouldn’t be able to pay for them with credit cards due to federal banking rules.

Shipping THC-infused products across state lines would also be against federal law.

“I think it’s wrong from every angle,” Brown said of the hemp provision in the shutdown legislation.

Brown said he manufactures about 2 million cans a year and that his THC-infused beverage operation is small compared to other Minnesota companies.

He said he started his business in a kiosk with a sign that read “Try CBD,” a non-intoxicating hemp ingredient that is praised for its medicinal value. If hemp-infused drinks and edibles are outlawed, Brown says he’s preparing to turn Nothing but Hemp, which has 60 employees, into a marijuana business.

Jim Taylor, a spokesman for the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, said “any draft or proposed (hemp) language is being reviewed to see its impact on Minnesota.”

“This is a complex policy issue, and we are reviewing it with the Attorney General,” Taylor said.

Just signed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison a letter They said unregulated THC products pose a threat to the general public along with 38 other attorneys general.

David Ladd, president of the Minnesota Industrial Hemp Association, said his group has tried to be as neutral as possible on the issue. But he said the state’s hemp growers also don’t want to “stifle innovation and investment” in hemp, which can be used to produce a variety of products, including biofuels, paper and textiles.

“I get regulations and sponsors for hemp products,” Ladd said. “But an arbitrary change in the definition of hemp is no substitute for measured regulation.”

The US Senate gave final approval to the shutdown bill late Monday. The legislation now heads to the US House, where Minnesota’s Democratic House members are expected to join the state’s two Democratic senators — Klobuchar and Smith — to reject the legislation.

So the longest government shutdown is on its way to an end after eight moderate Democrats in the US Senate dropped their opposition to the bill. GOP leaders said they offered a fair deal because the legislation would protect programs from Trump’s budget cuts and the Affordable Care Act subsidy extension promised by Senate Leader John Thune (R-SD) in exchange for Democrats’ votes to reopen the government.

This led to an onslaught of criticism from Democratic colleagues and Democratic voters.

Rep. Angie Craig, D-2. Barrutiko, for example, posted on social media “If people think this is a ‘deal’, I have a bridge to sell you.”

This the article appeared for the first time MinnPost and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

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Cannabis News

Cannabis growth facility eyes new spot for growth facility near Crisfield

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2026

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The Somerset County Board of Zoning Appeals approved another special exception for a cannabis-growing facility after negotiations to purchase a previous location failed to reach an agreement.

Trilogy Group LLC was granted a license to grow by the Maryland Cannabis Association, with the condition that the business be operational by July 2026. Trilogy Group wants to operate on the county-owned, undeveloped industrial site on Revell’s Neck Road in Westover. However, this project time frame does not coincide with the license term.

In September 2025, the producer was approved for a special exception for a facility at 4630 Crisfield Highway. The existing building houses Jed’s Auto Refinishing, which would be renovated to accommodate the growing operations. When the sale of that property ultimately failed, Trilogy Group purchased the land at 4381 Crisfield Highway and obtained another special exemption.

Jesse Drewer, Somerset’s Director of Technical and Community Services, said: “They looked for a site they already owned before coming to us and working through the process. “They are landlords and developers all in one.”

Cannabis News

Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Said Using Marijuana Can Give You ‘Man Boobs’

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2026

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President Donald Trump’s new surgeon general nominee has raised concerns about marijuana, at one point saying its use is linked to the development of large breasts, or “man boobs,” in men. However, he also admitted that medical cannabis has “potential benefits”.

Trump announced Thursday that he would tap Nicole Saphier, who is now the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering, to be the surgeon general of the United States.

Saphier has repeatedly discussed what he sees as the dangers of marijuana use, and has been more open to the potential benefits of its non-intoxicating ingredient CBD.

“There is a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs,” he wrote on Fox News in 2019. “As a doctor I know that marijuana is not harmless and can have serious adverse effects on the health of users.”

“And as a mother of three (one in college), I’m concerned that legalizing the drug for adults sends a clear message to kids that they can get pot without negative health effects,” she said.

Saphier went on to criticize the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who supported marijuana reform, saying it’s “politically a popular cause, especially among young voters.”

“These candidates are more interested in how legalization of pot will affect their electoral prospects than how legalization will affect public health,” he said. he wrote.

Among the health concerns he has raised is that cannabis use is “directly linked” to “man boobs”.

“Physically, we know that marijuana is directly linked to respiratory problems (if smoked), cardiovascular disease, and gynecomastia (“man nipples”). As a breast radiologist, the first question I ask men when they come in for breast augmentation is whether they currently smoke marijuana or have smoked it in the past. Often, the answer is “yes.”

Trump’s appointment of Saphier comes just as his administration is moving forward with federal rescheduling of marijuana.

Although the surgeon general has no formal involvement in the drug program, which is administered by the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, the position is seen as “America’s doctor” and plays a role in addressing health issues on behalf of the government.

In a podcast earlier this year, Saphier admitted that there are “potential benefits” to medical cannabis.

“Of course, there is evidence supporting cannabinoids for chemotherapy-induced nausea, certain seizure disorders, chronic pain syndromes, multiple sclerosis,” he said. “But that’s very different than, you know, the general normalization of high-potency recreational cannabis on a daily basis, especially in developing brains, which doesn’t happen until age 25.”

In the same podcast, he said that he personally “doesn’t like” and has “never tried” cannabis.

“I think CBD products are probably significantly less harmful if they don’t have THC. I’m not a fan of THC,” Saphier. he said. “I think if people are trying to get away from alcohol and want to take low doses of CBD, not inhale it, not smoke it, I’m sure it’s probably less risky than some of the other things out there.”

“Let’s be honest, today’s cannabis is not your parents’ marijuana. The potency of THC has increased dramatically over the last two decades. High-concentrate products, vapes, dabs, edibles, what the kids are doing these days, I don’t even know.”

In another interview focused on concerns about cannabis use by pregnant women, Saphier he said “As we continue to legalize marijuana, people are equating that to, ‘it has to be safe.'”

In a separate interview, he suggested that the legalization of cannabis is increasing its use among young people, which he said increases rates of addiction and psychosis.

“One in six children who try it, becomes addicted. Cannabis use in children, the risk of psychosis is four times higher,” he said. “What have we done? Legalize. Normalize.”

Trump’s predecessor, now retired Candidate Casey Means discussed his “significant experiences” with psychedelics beforehand Saying that marijuana “can greatly decrease your ability to generate good energy.”

Means himself said during a confirmation hearing in February he would not advise Americans to experiment with psychedelics as he has donebut noted that there is “exciting” research indicating that substances such as psilocybin can effectively treat serious mental health conditions.

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Cannabis News

Missouri cannabis growers file class action against Good Day Farm

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2026

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CPC of Missouri-Smithville, LLC and GF Saint Mary LLC, licensed cannabis growers and manufacturers in Missouri, filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Jackson County on behalf of independent wholesalers, alleging that Good Day Farm (GDF) and its network of conspiring companies and investors were harmed by an intentional, coordinated and unconstitutional scheme. The complaint alleges that the “GDF Cartel” illegally controls or manages the state’s share of dispensary licenses and uses that market power to manipulate Missouri’s $1.52 billion cannabis market for its own profit.

GDF and its co-conspirators allegedly built the cartel by arranging for third parties to invest in limited liability companies (LLCs) that then acquire additional dispensaries, cultivation and processing facilities, all of which are owned, operated or controlled by GDF. The result: The alleged cartel exercises effective control over at least 61 dispensaries, nearly triple the 22 allowed by the Missouri Constitution, with more than 10% of dispensary licenses “under substantially common control, ownership or management.” With 224 dispensaries currently licensed statewide, the alleged GDF Cartel controls more than one in four dispensary licenses in Missouri. But its influence is even greater, with alleged Cartel dispensaries accounting for more than 40% of wholesale cannabis in the state, giving it significant — and illegal — influence over all independent growers and manufacturers forced to sell through its network.

To avoid the Missouri Constitution’s 10% licensing limit and avoid regulatory oversight, the alleged cartel operates under five different brand names:

Good Day Farm (21 dispensaries),
CODES (20 dispensaries),
Green light (10 dispensaries),
Fresh Karma (6 dispensaries), and
3 Fifteen Primo (4 medications).

But they’re all part of a single, coordinated operation, the complaint says.

Purchase cannabis products from non-Cartel wholesalers at artificially depressed prices;
They supply their 61 dispensaries with the same products—mainly those produced by Cartel growers—significantly excluding products from independent wholesalers;
Force independent drug wholesalers to purchase the Cartel’s finished products as a condition for their wholesale products to be placed on the Cartel’s drug store shelves; and
Boycott non-cartel wholesalers who refuse to agree to anti-cartel demands.

Bob Hoffman, one of the attorneys leading the case, said: “The GDF Cartel is removing competition from the wholesale cannabis market and enriching itself with illegal profits through a counterproductive, clandestine business conspiracy. Missouri growers and manufacturers have been suffering under this scheme for a long time; many of them know something is wrong, but we don’t realize how the cartel has manipulated the market through this manipulation framework. Missourians to approve recreational cannabis in 2022 They voted for a fair and competitive market. Missouri licensed cannabis businesses that have suffered these practices should join us because they may be entitled to substantial damages.”

The complaint alleges the financial toll the Cartel has taken: Since the Cartel began illegal price-fixing, it has used its collective market power to lower wholesale prices by more than 20%, and continues to squeeze wholesalers and threaten the viability of their operations.

The unconstitutional complaint alleges that GDF knew its plan to build cartels could create legal risks for the company under the Constitution’s 10% licensing limit. The complaint quotes from a document provided by GDF to potential investors: “There can be no assurance that the Missouri Department of Cannabis Regulation will not dispute the number of marijuana dispensaries operated or supervised by the operator or its affiliates…”.

This action is brought on behalf of a putative class that includes all licensed independent wholesalers in Missouri that are not members of the alleged GDF Cartel for purposes of injunctive relief. Wholesalers who believe they have been financially harmed by the alleged Cartel’s practices should join the case because they may be entitled to substantial damages. The putative class is represented by the law firms of Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.

Source: Feuerstein Kulick LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP