Latest news with #AlcoholicBeverageCommission
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Bill Lee signs bill introducing changes to Tennessee's hemp industry in 2026
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill that will introduce new regulations to the Tennessee hemp industry in 2026. The legislation, House Bill 1376, bans products with THCA and synthetic cannabinoids and also prohibits direct-to-consumer sales. The bill also transfers authority over hemp-derived cannabinoid products from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The most significant aspect of the legislation is that it would restrict the manufacturing and sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products that are not Delta-9 THC to a maximum concentration of 0.3%. This regulation restricts the types of hemp products that can be sold within the state. The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville. 'We have a situation here in Tennessee where we are essentially dealing with unregulated recreational marijuana,' Briggs said during debate on the bill. 'It's the wild west out there.' This bill will take effect as soon as it becomes law for administrative purposes. For all other purposes, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Here is a detailed look at the measures introduced in the bill. Defines a non-Delta-9 "hemp-derived cannabinoid" as a hemp-derived product that contains more than 0.1% and is intended to be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin Defines Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol "hemp-derived cannabinoid" as a hemp-derived product containing a concentration of 0.3%, intended to be ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin Prohibit the sale of all hemp-derived cannabinoid products to anyone under the age of 21 Prohibits driving under the influence of hemp-derived cannabis products Requires consumers of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to store them in their original packaging Prohibits marketing, labeling, and packaging products to anyone under the age of 21, and bans labels and marketing efforts that include superheroes, comic books, television and video game characters, unicorns and other mythical characters Establishes taxes on cannabinoid products, including: $0.02 cent/mg tax on cannabinoid products; $50/oz tax on the flower portion of the cannabis plant; $4.40/gal tax on liquid cannabis products sold in bottles, cans and kegs Requires manufacturers of liquid cannabinoid products to pay a $300 annual brand fee Establishes licensure and product testing requirements for cannabis product suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers Outlines documentation requirements for anyone transporting hemp-derived cannabinoid products into or within Tennessee Outlines penalties for licensure and sale violations Designates the Alcoholic Beverage Commission as the authority for oversight and enforcement THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a prominent chemical compound found in cannabis. You can smoke THC or put it in an edible to get high. There are a few different versions of THC, including Delta-9, Delta-8, and Delta-10. Delta 9 is the most common. THC is also used in THCA and THCV, which offer health benefits without the high or psychedelic effects. However, if THCA is heated up and decarbonized, it can cause a high usually associated with marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are the same species, according to Healthline. They're just two different names for cannabis. The main difference between the terms is how much THC each contains. The term 'hemp' is used to mean cannabis that contains 0.3% or less THC content by dry weight, according to Healthline. Marijuana is generally associated with getting high. The term legally refers to cannabis that has more than 0.3% THC by dry weight. Marijuana is not legal in Tennessee, but hemp products can be sold. You can buy legal recreational marijuana in nearly half of U.S. states. But neither medical marijuana nor recreational weed is legally available in Tennessee. According to DISA Global Solutions, marijuana is legal for medical and recreational purchase and consumption in the following states: Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Illinois Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Montana Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York Ohio Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Is hemp legal in Tennessee? Gov. Lee signs bill for industry changes
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN House passes amended bill to regulate hemp industry, ban hemp flower in state
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In a last-minute switch, Tennessee lawmakers in the House passed a bill aiming to regulate the hemp industry, in part, by essentially banning hemp flower in the state. The House version of the bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) would create regulations on the hemp industry, including packaging, testing, and licensing requirements. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) would become the regulatory group for the hemp industry. Many lawmakers and those in the hemp industry agreed with the regulation proposals. PREVIOUS | Renewed push to regulate hemp industry heats up in Tennessee However, during the final debate on the House floor, an amendment filed by Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) and adopted by lawmakers added a ban on hemp products with more than .3% TCHA, the chemical compound in hemp that, when burned, turns into THC, the same intoxicant found in marijuana. 'It's difficult for law enforcement to discern between [hemp flower] and marijuana. When smoked, it's highly intoxicating, and if you were to take a drug test, there's no discernible difference between did you just smoke marijuana or THCA,' Cochran said. The amendment would align with federal law and the Senate's version of the bill. However, lawmakers, including some Republicans, pointed out it would essentially ban the natural form of hemp in the state and encourage people to ingest the synthetic version instead. 'We're not stopping intoxicants. We're only keeping intoxicants that are not natural,' Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) said. 'You're not voting on a bill to do away with people getting high. You're voting on a bill to do away with people getting high naturally. You're making it to where they can get high through chemicals now.' Certain lawmakers were also critical of the measure's potential to hurt small businesses and farmers who invested in the hemp flower industry. 'We need this industry to be regulated more so. It has been the wild west up until now. Nobody disputes that fact, but we are the body that two years ago created this. Let's understand that if we think we've created a monster, then we're Dr. Frankenstein. We need to take responsibility for that, and based upon those decisions that we made, people made investments,' Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) said. 'I fail to comprehend how this body, mostly rural in nature, just stuck it to every farmer in the state of Tennessee that has invested in this,' Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said. 'We keep pulling the rug out from under these folks, and it's going to come back to bite us, and you just did that by adopting that amendment.' The amendment to ban hemp products with more than .3% THCA is the same rule the hemp industry sued the Tennessee Department of Agriculture over last year, stopping it from going into effect. Some lawmakers in support of the THCA restriction argued the hemp industry cannot be regulated without it. 'A lot of people forget that there is a thing called cannabis-induced psychosis, and so the potency of these products under that regulation will help so much,' Rep. Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) said. ⏩ Others said it protects people in the state from dangerous products because they'll be able to trust what they're buying. 'If you buy a Sprite, you should get a Sprite. If you buy a beer, you should get a beer, if you buy a bottle of tequila, you should get a bottle of tequila. You shouldn't buy a Sprite and get tequila, or buy tequila and get Sprite. I'm not advocating for any of those particular products, but you should know what you're getting,' Leader Lamberth said. 'After this bill passes, if it passes, and I hope it does, Tennesseans will know exactly what they're purchasing. That's a worthy thing.' The amended bill passed the House 69 to 21, with some Republicans voting against the bill and some Democrats voting in favor. The Senate version of the bill is set to be debated on the floor soon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
31-01-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Porter County Council reorganizes, makes appointments for the year
The Porter County Council voted Councilman Andy Vasquez, R-4th, its president for 2025. Councilman Andy Bozak, R-At-Large, nominated him at the reorganization meeting Tuesday afternoon. Councilman Greg Simms, D-3rd, seconded the motion and Vasquez was approved unanimously. Former Council President Mike Brickner, R-At-Large, then nominated Vice President Red Stone, R-1st, to continue in that role and Bozak seconded the motion. Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, nominated Simms for VP, but the motion died for lack of a second and Stone was again confirmed as VP by a 5-to-2 vote with Rivas and Simms opposed. Contracts were unanimously approved for County Attorney Harold Harper and Porter County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke, respectively. The council then moved on to citizen appointments, approving Ralph Neff to serve on the Redevelopment Commission, Thomas Swihart on the Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Jim Clarida on the Board of Zoning Appeals, and David Ondrovich on the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals. Jake McEvoy, who also serves as director of the Porter County Parks Department, was named the citizen appointment to the Chesterton Economic Development Committee; John Cannon was named to the Portage EDC; Margo Machnik was named to the town of Porter EDC; Patrick McGinley was named to the Valparaiso EDC; and Danielle Roeske-Hogg was named to the town of Hebron EDC. The council's citizen appointment to the Board of Health was tabled following Rivas's nomination of former Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, a Democrat, which was seconded by Simms. Dr. Patrick Flemming had also applied and the council opted to confirm with Harper, who was absent due to illness, whether they were correctly interpreting Indiana Code to direct the council that it must appoint a Democrat to the vacancy. 'If we have to go, I'd be happy to vote for Sylvia, but I think we're losing some knowledge there,' said Bozak, referring to Flemming's involvement in the board's COVID-19 response during the pandemic. Rivas and Simms voted against tabling the appointment. For council appointments Brickner, a retired career law enforcement officer and former Valparaiso police chief, maintained his appointment to the Community Corrections Advisory Board, and will also serve on the Emergency Management Agency Board. Vasquez maintained his appointment to the Northern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, as well as the E911 Policy Board, Porter County Redevelopment Commission, and Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. Harris will join him on the JJAB, and was also appointed to the Storm Water Advisory Board as Vasquez's proxy. Stone was appointed to the Porter County Plan Commission and the EMA Board. Simms will serve on the Recycling and Waste District, as well as maintain his appointment to the Porter County Council on Aging. 'I like hanging out with the old people,' he said. Simms and Harris were also named as appointments to the Memorial Opera House Board. 'We can remove MOH, right?' Bozak asked, referring to the city of Valparaiso's management of the facility since the first of the year. 'I would leave it open just in case somebody from Valpo wants to talk to one of us about it,' Stone replied. 'You all will be getting in your email a copy of the MOU,' Vasquez added, in reference to the memorandum of understanding for the city's management of the opera house. The auditor's office also compiled a binder of the MOH's assets. Council liaison appointments to various county departments will remain the same as in 2024 with Harris taking over those formerly held by Graham.
