American voters across the political spectrum support legalizing consumer hemp products and enacting regulations to ensure public safety and prevent youth access, according to a new poll.

The McLaughlin & Associates survey, commissioned by the Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA), comes amid heightened debate in Congress and state legislatures across the country on how to navigate consumer hemp product laws, which were made federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill signed into law by President Donald Trump in his first term.

Overall, 72 percent of respondents said they want to see hemp retain its legal status under federal law, with “new safety and licensing regulations.” Notably, Republicans were 77 percent in favor, compared to Democrats (71 percent) and independents (68 percent).

The question to voters did not ask about hemp being legal, so it’s unclear what percentage is falling back or being affected by the addition of new regulations. He asked, “Would you support or oppose a federal law to continue to allow the sale and possession of hemp-based consumer products with new safety and licensing regulations to protect children and adult consumers, including age restrictions for adult-only use, free school zones, and greater transparency such as clear health and warning labels.”

Given their generally popular regulatory policies, it is not surprising that strong majorities in both parties expressed support for a legal framework for the cultivation of cannabis.

When asked individually about specific regulatory proposals, 87 percent said they want child-friendly packaging, 86 percent want to limit sales to adults over 21, 81 percent said there should be marketing restrictions to prevent appeal to youth, and 71 percent said hemp products should not contain “unnatural psychoactive substances.”

The survey “shows strong support for passing federal legislation to continue to allow the sale and possession of hemp-based consumer products with new common-sense safety rules,” a survey release said.

Additionally, polls show that 55 percent of respondents who voted to keep hemp’s legal status would be more likely to support a political candidate with improved regulations. It includes 62% of Republicans, 53% of Democrats and 48% of independents.

“The hemp ban is a harmful government overreach, plain and simple,” HIFA Executive Director Brian Swensen said in a press release. “The desire to ban or regulate farmers and small business owners puts hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk, and Americans across the political spectrum.”

“After nearly a decade of law-abiding farmers and companies investing in this industry, changing the rules now would be a slap in the face,” he said. “Congress should think twice and work with the hemp industry to support common sense regulations instead of passing retroactive bans that penalize responsible operators.”

According to the survey, nearly half (47 percent) of voters have personally purchased hemp products or know someone who has.

Survey first notify On the part of the city council, there were interviews with 1,000 voters between October 1 and 5, with a margin of error of +/-3.1 points.

Last week, a major hemp industry organization sent a letter to Trump praising him for his role in legalizing the crop during his first term and banning hemp products by asking Congress to avoid “delaying” reform containing any amount of THC.

“As hemp growers, farmers, consumers and advocates, we are grateful and remain hopeful that your influence can save the $28.4 billion hemp industry you helped make possible,” the US Hemp Board said. “Your recent video sharing about the extraordinary value of hemp products was important in raising awareness of the positive impact of our products grown and manufactured in the United States.”

That was a reference to the president’s recent sharing of a video from The Commonwealth Project He touted the health benefits of hemp-derived CBD, especially for the elderly.

“Congress is close to passing a hemp ban, reversing the work you led to make hemp boom in 2018,” he said. “The proposed change in the definition of hemp, which says that Americans are protected, would eliminate 95 percent of this American industry that you are so proud of.”

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Lawmakers from both sides of Congress have raised similar concerns in a recent letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) pushing back against attempts to ban THC hemp products. That was argued by the members such a change in policy will “deal a fatal blow” to the industry. and, as currently contained in a spending bill, violates congressional rules. For this purpose, the members say that there is an intention to implement an alternative measure to regulate the market.

At the federal level, on the other hand The Senate eventually removed the hemp THC ban language from its version After a procedural protest from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) over the farm spending measure, there is still concern among stakeholders that it could end up in the final package sent to the president after bicameral negotiations.

Meanwhile, Democratic senators also sent a letter to the administration last month He warned of major upheavals in the hemp market If products containing any amount of THC were to be banned.

Dozens of Kentucky hemp farmers also recently petitioned senior U.S. Senator McConnell. he backtracked on his push to re-criminalize some crop-derived products.

Paul, for his part, recently noted this The cannabis policy movement has ‘pushed hard for prohibition’ amid controversy over intoxicating hemp products. And he worries that, if things go wrong, the hemp market could shrink in “the next couple of weeks.”

Asked about recent conversations with McConnell and Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Paul said “We have been working diligently” with the workers “trying to reach a compromise”.

“A lot of the conversations have been constructive. They say, at least on the surface, they don’t want to get rid of it, but I think we’re kind of talking past each other,” he said.

Meanwhile, Paul recently introduced a stand-alone bill that would go in the opposite direction of the hemp ban, proposing to triple the concentration of THC that the crop could legally containaddressing several other concerns expressed by industry about federal regulations.

The senator introduced legislation in June called the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act. It reflects versions backed up in recent sessions.

Harris, who supported the ban on THC from hemp in the House version of the agriculture spending bill, told Marijuana Moment he wasn’t worried about potential opposition to the hemp ban in the Senate—and also discussed reports on the scope his legislation would do to the industry.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a report in June stating this The legislation would “effectively” ban hemp-derived cannabinoid products. It initially said the ban would also prevent the sale of CBD, but the CRS report was updated to exclude that language for unclear reasons.

The hemp language is largely consistent with the appropriations and agriculture legislation that was introduced in the last Congress, but ultimately not enacted.

Hemp industry stakeholders opposed that proposal, an earlier version of which was also included in the subcommittee’s core bill last year. is Almost identical to a provision in the 2024 Farm Bill attached by a separate committee. last May through an amendment by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), which also did not become law.

Further evidence of the normalization of the hemp sector, retail giant Target recently soft started sales of THC-infused drinks in select stores in minnesota

Meanwhile, the US Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). recently entered into its first partnership with a hemp THC beverage companyWith a brand licensing deal that will support a variety of veterans services and promote cannabis-based beverages as a potential alternative to alcohol, the beverages will be available at VFW stands across the country.

Read the full hemp survey memo below: