“It is a sigh of relief, until you read the full two-page letter that the governor put out with that veto.”
By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
The hemp community in Florida is breathing a collective sigh of relief following Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) veto of a bill that they say, if signed, would have presented an existential threat to their livelihoods.
The measure, SB 1698, would have imposed regulations on intoxicating hemp-derived products in the state, including strict limits on THC levels and a complete ban on the sale of delta-8 THC. In the nearly three months since the bill was passed, the governor’s office was inundated with calls for him to veto it.
In his letter explaining his veto, DeSantis appeared to respond in part to warnings it would deal a blow to tens of thousands of people working in the industry.
“Small businesses are the cornerstone of Florida’s economy,” he wrote. “While Senate Bill 1698’s goals are commendable, the bill would, in fact, impose debilitating regulatory burdens on small businesses and almost certainly fail to achieve its purposes. Senate Bill 1698 would introduce dramatic disruption and harm to many small retail and manufacturing businesses in Florida—businesses that have emerged
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