1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

The Tennessee House recently passed a bill, HB 1376, that aims to further regulate the hemp industry and ban certain THCA products from being sold in the state. This bill would make the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) the regulator for hemp sales, relieving the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The key provisions include: - Banning the sale of any products containing more than 0.3% THCA on a dry weight basis, as THCA is a precursor to THC and can convert to an intoxicating substance through decarboxylation. - Removing THCA from the list of hemp-derived cannabinoids if it exceeds 0.3% concentration. - Prohibiting the manufacture, production or sale of hemp products with a total THC content or theoretical THC content over 0.3% on a dry weight basis. While regulating hemp products is understandable, this bill takes an overly restrictive approach by banning THCA outright rather than focusing on final THC levels after decarboxylation. It could unduly hamper the legal hemp industry and limit consumer access to non-intoxicating hemp products. I urge you to reconsider supporting such stringent restrictions in SB 1413 and instead pursue a more balanced regulatory framework that allows the hemp market to thrive responsibly.