A major alcohol industry association is calling on congressional leaders to create a regulatory framework for hemp-based intoxicating cannabinoids—rather than impose an outright ban as is proposed under a large-scale agriculture bill that’s advancing in the House.
In a letter sent to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders on Wednesday, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) urged “critical action to ensure that intoxicating hemp products sold across the country are safe for consumers” as lawmakers work to advance the 2024 Farm Bill.
“We strongly advocate for clear federal rules and regulations that define intoxicating hemp compounds and to grant states the authority to regulate these products within their borders,” the alcohol trade association said.
The letter comes about a week after the House Agriculture Committee approved an amendment to the 2024 Farm Bill that would effectively ban most consumable hemp products—a proposal that saw some ideological splintering within the cannabis sector.
Ahead of that vote, WSWA said the “attempt to ban intoxicating hemp products is merely doubling down on the failed federal policy of prohibition.” But in this latest letter, the association used more tempered language. While it said a regulatory framework would be ideal, it also suggested Congress
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