“All retailers selling intoxicating hemp products must be held to the same high safety standards as cannabis sellers.”

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Currant

For a year, bars and restaurants in Rhode Island were able to obtain a license from the state’s former Office of Cannabis Regulation to sell THC-infused alcoholic beverages, despite state regulations that prohibit combining them with alcohol, tobacco or nicotine.

More than 100 licensed retailers obtained their licenses between August 2024 and July 2025, when the Cannabis Control Commission suspended issuing a new license to establishments that allow alcohol consumption on the premises “in the interest of public health and safety”.

Now, as regulators race to codify rules to match the market, the association representing the state’s hospitality industry is voicing strong opposition to a commission recommendation by lawmakers to codify a ban on selling THC beverages at liquor-licensed premises.

“They’re assuming we’re not going to follow the law,” Farouk Rajab, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, said in an interview Monday.

Rajab said he was disappointed that the commission recommends a ban in its latest report presented to the General Assembly on March 1. But he wasn’t surprised that cuts had yet to be made.

“I think decisions are made even before the listening sessions,” he said. “This is aimed at an industry, that’s all.”

11 page report details Rules governing hemp-derived beverages in Rhode Islandalong with recommendations on product labelling, testing and taxation.

Carla Aveledo, head of policy for the committee, said that no single industry was targeted.

“All retailers selling intoxicating hemp products must be held to the same high safety standards as those selling cannabis,” he said.

Hemp became legal at the federal level after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, when the beverage hit the Rhode Island market as regulators were working on licensing rules for retail cannabis establishments. The rules allowing the sale of the beverage were adopted by the former Office of Cannabis Regulation in 2024, and the rules have since been adopted by the state Office of Cannabis.

But the proliferation of hemp-derived THC drinks has led to debate over whether they should be legal at all in Rhode Island. Members of the state’s recreational cannabis industry have opposed the possibility of selling THC products outside of the few existing pot shops.

That’s why last year the General Assembly tasked the Cannabis Control Commission with making recommendations to combat hemp-derived beverages, most of which are produced outside the state.

Rajab said the association had created “training modules that enable safe handling” of the drinks. The online course explains how receptors in the brain react to cannabis, onset times, and how to avoid THC overdose.

The association’s module also mandates catering staff to never serve THC beverages with alcohol.

“Mixing THC-infused drinks with alcohol can lead to unpredictable and dangerous situations,” he says. “As a server, it is your responsibility to discourage customers from consuming THC beverages alongside alcoholic beverages. Educate them about the risks and encourage safer consumption practices to ensure their well-being.”

Drinks are often sold in four-can packs at liquor stores. State regulations limit 1 milligram of THC per drink and no more than 5 milligrams of THC “per pack.”

Rajab said instead of banning restaurants from selling drinks, the state should codify rules to guide the hospitality industry. He pointed to Minnesota, which has allowed liquor stores, grocery stores and bars to sell liquor since 2023.

“It’s safe to serve there,” he said.

of the committee the report it also highlights how “low-potency edible hemp” is regulated in the 10,000 Lakes lands. In order for a Minnesota bar to serve hemp-derived products, it must obtain an on-site consumption endorsement, which is selected when filling out the license application.

But even Minnesota regulators admit there is a big question mark over whether they will continue to sell the drinks when federal restrictions governing the potency of hemp take effect in November.

“This threw the whole industry out of business across the nation,” Jim Walker, a spokesman for the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, told the Rhode Island Current. “If we get to November and there’s no safety net, we as an office would help eliminate a lot of these businesses.”

Congress is still considering legislation that would delay enforcement of the ban for two years allow the sale of THC-derived beverages.

Aveledo said the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission continues to monitor federal hemp policy and acknowledged that it could affect regulators’ plans to update the state’s hemp regulations.

“The commission intends to make updates to the hemp regulations in 2026,” he said. “However, recent federal activity and future actions are uncertain, which may delay regulatory writing until early 2027 to ensure our framework is fully informed and strategically aligned.”

This story was first published by the Rhode Island Currant.

© VoltirisAs energy continues to directly influence greenhouse strategies worldwide, new technologies and industry debates are converging on the same central question: how to produce more efficiently while maintaining optimal crop yields.

One company that sits in this evolving landscape is Voltiris, which is preparing to expand its spectral solar technology into the North American greenhouse market.

Following a recent visit to the company’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Mona Nazari confirmed that she will lead the company’s commercial expansion in the region.

“They have developed spectral filters for solar modules designed for high-tech greenhouses,” he shares. “The technology splits sunlight, directing the photosynthetically active radiation to the crop while converting the rest of the spectrum into electricity.”

In addition to generating electricity, the system also affects the climatic conditions of the greenhouse. By filtering out parts of the infrared spectrum during periods of intense sunlight, crop temperature can be moderated.

“By filtering infrared radiation during peak periods of sunlight, plant temperatures can be reduced by up to 4°C, helping to keep crops in their optimal growing range.”

According to the company, more than 2,000 modules have already been installed with commercial greenhouse partners across Europe. Early research results also suggest crop yield benefits.

“Recent trials of Delphi have shown a 9% increase in Class I yield and a two-week extension of the harvest window.” For the industry, these types of innovations are coming at a time when energy costs and sustainability goals are becoming increasingly important factors in greenhouse design.

“Energy is quickly becoming one of the defining questions for greenhouse production,” he said. “It will be interesting to see how such solutions fit into the next generation of controlled environment infrastructure.”

Industry focus shifts to energy strategy
Many of these topics will be discussed at the upcoming Advancing Cultivation Technology Leamington Grower Summit on March 31, 2026 at the Roma Club in Leamington, Ontario.

Organizers said the event will focus on practical solutions to manage energy use, improve efficiency and protect profitability in greenhouse operations.

“This year’s program focuses on what growers need most right now: real ways to manage energy, improve efficiency and protect profitability,” the organizing team said in announcing the agenda.

One of the aforementioned presentations will be given by Amos Bassi of Philips Horticulture LED Solutions, who will present the results of a multi-year tomato trial in Dutch Botany in collaboration with Grodan.

The study examines how advanced LED lighting strategies, including intermediate lighting and higher light intensities, can significantly reduce greenhouse energy consumption while maintaining crop yields.

Climate optimization will also be addressed by Paul Arena of Svensson Climate Screens, who will present practical strategies to reduce greenhouse demand while maintaining stable greenhouse conditions. His session will explore dual screen return conditions, as well as the role of vertical airflow to improve heating and cooling efficiency in LED-equipped greenhouses.

Timme Hovinga, Priva’s product director, will analyze the energy strategy from a broader operational perspective. His presentation will explore how growers can integrate energy management into long-term greenhouse operations and how to turn energy efficiency into a competitive advantage.

Addressing Crop Health Challenges
In addition to energy issues, the summit will also address crop health challenges affecting greenhouse production.

Grodan’s Dan Skinner will present new research on pepper wilt, an increasingly complex problem for Canadian greenhouse growers.

The session will examine root zone dynamics, hygiene practices and contributing fungal pathogens to help growers improve prevention and management strategies.

With research findings, technology developments and practical grower discussions on the agenda, the ACT Leamington Grower Summit aims to provide actionable insights into the industry navigating the challenges of rapidly evolving energy and production.

For Mona, whose new role focuses on bringing energy-integrated greenhouse technologies to North American growers, the event reflects where the industry conversation is headed. “The theme couldn’t be more consistent with what Voltiris is and the value it brings.”

Register for the Advancing Cultivation Technology Summit here.

For more information:
Voltiri
(email protected)
www.voltiris.com

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a cannabis product enforcement policy to the White House for review on regulatory issues specifically related to CBD.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a statement on Friday that it received the submission from the FDA, which is under the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Although the update does not include the text of the proposal now being considered by OIRA, it is titled “Cannabidiol (CBD) Product Compliance and Enforcement Policy.”

The fact that the document comes from the FDA can clarify its content, for example The agency recently missed a Congressional deadline to publish a list of known cannabinoids because federal hemp laws are set to change later this year.

Another possibility raised by industry observers is that it ties into an executive order to reorganize marijuana that President Donald Trump signed in December, which included provisions to provide federal health insurance coverage for CBD to certain patients. But that rulemaking is being facilitated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is not listed as the agency that submitted the proposal to OIRA.

Marijuana Moment reached out to HHS and the FDA for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

As part of the appropriations legislation that Trump signed into law, the 2018 Farm Bill will ban many of the hemp products that were legalized during his first term once again starting in November. The spending measure contained separate provisions, however, for the FDA and other relevant agencies to study the cannabinoid market and develop lists of cannabis ingredients.

After signing the bill, the FDA was given 90 days to publish 1) a list of “all cannabinoids known to the FDA” in cannabis 2) a list of “all cannabinoids of the tetrahydrocannabinol class that the agency believes occur naturally in the plant” and 3) a list of “binoids that have similar effects or may have effects similar to the market. cannabinoids of the tetrahydrocannabinol class”.

It was also tasked with providing the agency with “additional information and specificity” regarding the term “container” in relation to THC serving sizes of hemp product. In the bill, the term is defined as “the inner packaging, container, or container in direct contact with a final hemp-derived cannabinoid product into which the final hemp-derived product is placed for retail sale to consumers, such as a jar, bottle, bag, box, package, can, carton, or cartridge.”

The listings and information were due by February 10, but the FDA missed the deadline.

It is possible, of course, new politics The submission to OIRA is unrelated to the FDA’s mandate to create a list of cannabinoids. Others see it as the next step in expanding federal health insurance coverage, which would make CBD products available to certain patients.

An executive at a hemp company working with CMS on CBD coverage said as much last month The agency has already finalized a rule to allow for federal health insurance coverage. That rule was introduced by Trump under Title III of the Marijuana Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator, spoke about the CBD components of the initiative at the order signing ceremony, with Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To the HHS secretary for “driving change” and pursuing an agenda based on a “deep passion for research.”

The plan has been to create a pilot program to give eligible patients access to hemp-derived cannabidiol that would be covered by federal health insurance plans, scheduled to launch in April, according to Oz.

While the broader rules for the CBD Medicare pilot program have yet to be released, CMS’ website briefly outlines how it navigates hemp-related issues within the LEAD, Accountable Care Organization (ACO), and Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) regulatory models.

One outstanding question is about coverage eligibility. As the administrator described in December, it would affect those 65 and older who are eligible for Medicare, but the exact conditions were not specified. There were repeated mentions of chronic pain, particularly in relation to cancer, but the CBD eligibility criteria may include additional conditions.

While CMS issued a previous final rule this past April specifically stipulating that marijuana, as well as CBD derived from federal law hemp, are ineligible For coverage of the Medicare Advantage program and other services, the agency is revising that policy.

CMS already announced some changes as part of a rulemaking process filed late last year, It affects “marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans and other programming areas.” for the insurance programs it oversees. One of these changes concerned the coverage of cannabidiol.

The proposed rule would change the regulations, which currently say that “cannabis products” cannot be covered. The policy would “prevent coverage of cannabis products that are illegal under applicable state or federal law, including the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Because hemp and its derivatives like CBD are federally legal, the change suggests that patients in states where these products are legal can make valid insurance claims to pay for alternative treatment options, as long as the product is federally legal.

Another possibility for new submissions under the OIRA review is that it is unrelated to the FDA mandate or CMS health coverage developments. The FDA has faced scrutiny for years after refusing to enact rules that allow CBD to be legally marketed in the food supply, so there are a number of regulatory issues the proposal could address.