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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signs bill restricting hemp sales
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill Wednesday regulating the sale and distribution of hemp products, including drinks and gummies. Ivey signed HB445, which reduces serving sizes of THC to 10 milligrams. Establishments selling these products must be licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The law places a 10% tax on hemp products and prohibits business from selling them to anyone who's younger than 21. State Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, who sponsored the bill, said before the bill was signed that hemp gummies and snacks are in certain convenient stores across Alabama. He claimed some stores market gummies and snacks to children with 'dangerous THC levels.' There was some pushback against the bill. Carmelo Parasiliti, owner of Green Acres Organic Pharms in Florence, said the bill would eliminate almost all of the products they offer. Parasiliti urged Ivey to veto the bill. As of Wednesday, a petition on garnered over 1,900 signatures requesting Ivey kill the bill. Gov. Kay Ivey signs law banning smartphones in Alabama public schools Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin expressed issues he had with the bills. 'This bill doesn't protect our communities — it destroys jobs, shuts down local businesses, and hands the industry to big corporations,' Woodfin said in a statement Monday. Whitt said the bill isn't a total ban on hemp, though he acknowledged some stores will need to change their business model. 'Your convenient store, local convenient store, is not a pharmacy. It should not be viewed as one,' Whitt said. 'So they should be selling gas and snacks, not drugs to our kids.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Kay Ivey signs controversial Alabama hemp regulation into law
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey speaks at a press conference urging passage of a package of law enforcement bills on Feb. 12, 2025 at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. Ivey Wednesday signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest that would regulate the sale of hemp products in Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Gov. Kay Ivey Wednesday signed a controversial bill aimed at regulating consumable hemp products into law. HB 445, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, faced strong opposition from the hemp industry, which claims the bill overregulates federally legal products, and the Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, which argued it did not regulate the products enough. Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Ivey, confirmed that the governor had signed the bill in a text message on Wednesday, but did not provide further comment. Whitt said after the governor's signature that it was 'an easy bill' for him to sponsor but 'a hard bill to pass.' 'It was hard because I took shots from both sides,' he said, saying that it was difficult to listen to the 'stretches of truth,' such as claims from API that it would legalize recreational marijuana or from the industry that it's a 'complete ban.' 'It is putting guardrails on an unregulated and unlicensed product in the state of Alabama that's preying on our youth,' Whitt said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Messages seeking comment were left with API and Molly Cole, a lobbyist for the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association, who indicated that litigation was being considered. The legislation will require testing and labeling for all consumable hemp products and caps at 10 milligrams per individually wrapped product and 40 milligrams per package. It will require the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board to license retailers of these products, restrict retail establishments selling hemp products and impose an excise tax on consumable hemp products. The bill also prohibits sales to minors. It bans smokable hemp products and imposes restrictions on online sales and direct delivery. Whitt maintained that his efforts is aimed at reducing youth access to these products, saying that the industry has operated largely unchecked. Representatives of the hemp industry said the bill's language was vague and have suggested that litigation will follow. Lawmakers, business owners, patients and lobbyists have also expressed uncertainty about the legislation. Whitt said that the bill also bans hemp-derived vapor products, but that is not clearly defined in the bill. It's not clear if the bill would ban CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp. The bill explicitly bans smokable hemp products and certain psychoactive cannabinoids but defines 'consumable hemp product' broadly as any finished product intended for human or animal consumption that contains any part of the hemp plant or its derivatives. According to the bill, 'any smokeable hemp product' not limited to 'plant product or raw hemp material that is marketed to consumers as hemp cigarettes, hemp cigars, hemp joints, hemp buds, hemp flowers, hemp leaves, ground hemp flowers, or any variation of these terms to include any product that contains a cannabinoid, whether psychoactive or not.' Whitt said that the legislation provides an opportunity for hemp business leaders to 'pivot into the products that that are approved here in Alabama that can truly help Alabama citizens again.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama hemp bill creates confusion; industry braces for fight
Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, displays a hemp-derived product as he introduces a bill to regulate the industry to the House Health Committee on April 2, 2025, in Montgomery, Ala. Whitt's bill is on Gov. Kay Ivey's desk, but the provisions of the legislation have led to criticism of the bill and confusion over what it does. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) A bill aimed at regulating consumable hemp products has landed on Gov. Kay Ivey's desk, but its future is uncertain. HB 445, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, would establish regulations for consumable hemp products in Alabama, but the bill's language and potential consequences have led the hemp industry to suggest the possibility of litigation and led to uncertainty among lawmakers, business owners, patients and lobbyists. 'It is my hope that the governor signs the bill this week. I think it's a good piece of legislation. I think it's a bipartisan piece of legislation, and certainly, we have to get the guardrails up on this industry,' Whitt said in a phone interview Tuesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Key provisions of the bill include: Testing and labeling requirements for all consumable hemp products. Caps of 10 milligrams per individually wrapped product, with a cap of 40 milligrams per package. Authorization for the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board to license retailers of these products. Restrictions on retail establishments selling hemp products. Prohibition of sales to minors. Prohibition of smokable hemp products and restrictions on online sales and direct delivery. Imposition of an excise tax on consumable hemp products. The bill defines 'consumable hemp product' broadly as any finished product intended for human or animal consumption that contains any part of the hemp plant or its derivatives, but explicitly bans smokable hemp products and certain psychoactive cannabinoids. It's unclear whether the bill would ban CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp. According to the bill, 'any smokeable hemp product' not limited to 'plant product or raw hemp material that is marketed to consumers as hemp cigarettes, hemp cigars, hemp joints, hemp buds, hemp flowers, hemp leaves, ground hemp flowers, or any variation of these terms to include any product that contains a cannabinoid, whether psychoactive or not.' The bill was replaced with a substitute on the floor that had not been discussed in the Senate committee hearing, and a copy was not made available to the public until after its passage. Molly Cole, a lobbyist for the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association, said she wished a senator had asked for the bill to be read on the floor. 'When Sen. Melson came onto the floor and proposed this bill for the substitute, … no one called for it to be read on the floor. And then the way he proposed it was that all this bill does is move products to 21 and up stores,' Cole said, which she felt was misleading. Even the bill's sponsor and the senator who handled the bill in the upper chamber appear to be at odds over its implementation. Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, whose bill aimed at hemp regulation failed in committee but who handled Whitt's legislation in the Senate, said in an interview Tuesday that he was uncertain about whether the bill bans hemp-derived THC vapes. He thought that hemp-derived vapes could still be purchased in a 21+ vape shop. 'The hemp vape products, yes, anything with the THC would go to, my understanding … they would go to vape stores. But that being said, I'd have to double check now that you got me questioning,' Melson said. Whitt, however, was clear on the matter. 'Any smokeable, any inhalable product, is banned under this legislation. Vapes would be banned as well that had delta-8 and (delta)-9 in those,' he said. Delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC are psychoactive compounds found in cannabis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Representatives of the hemp industry strongly oppose the measure, warning of consequences for both businesses and consumers. Carmelo Parasiliti, founder and CEO of Green Acres Organic Pharms in Florence, pointed to the potential damage the bill could have on his business. Parasiliti said that nearly every product they currently offer is federally legal and lab tested. Under HB 445, he said, it would all be illegal. 'We're going to keep our storefront open and serve Alabama to the best of our ability, but our future in Alabama is uncertain, and I'm really hoping Gov. Kay Ivey will veto this bill if she truly supports small businesses,' Parasiliti said in an interview Tuesday. He also pointed to potential harm to people who benefit from hemp medically, particularly those in a cancer program he started to provide free or low-cost hemp-derived products to people referred by providers. 'Even more troubling is the bill makes it unlawful to give these products away to people in need, no matter their condition, which I think is cruelty,' Parasiliti said. Nancy Owen Nelson, a cancer patient living in Florence who uses hemp, mostly CBD, for symptom management and a participant in the Green Acres Organic Pharm cancer program, said she was disappointed with the bill. Nelson said he plans to write a letter to Ivey encouraging her to veto it. She said she tried to leave a voicemail, but found it was full. 'The thing about this condition is that it is not anywhere in particular, so it is a whole body sensation, and a whole body fatigue. It helps me sleep, it helps me rest, and it helps me feel calmer,' Owen Nelson said. Whitt and Melson say that the bill's primary objective is to protect children and regulate an industry that has operated largely unchecked. Owen Nelson said she agrees with regulating the hemp industry but feels the bill goes too far, and that she wasn't sure if the bill would accomplish its intent of limiting access for minors, saying that children will find a way to these products. 'It's the responsibility of the vendors to not sell children and the families to protect their children within their homes,' she said. Whitt felt strongly that the need for 'guardrails' on the hemp industry, saying it was his goal to rein in 'the wild west of what's been derived out of the 2018 Farm Bill.' The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp and any cannabis product with no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight from the definition of marijuana under federal law. Molly Cole, a lobbyist for the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association, said the industry is confused about how the bill defines consumable hemp product. She also pointed to conflicting implementation dates, which say that the 'act shall become effective on July 1, 2025,' but indicate that businesses have until Jan. 1, 2026, to comply. 'That's causing a lot of chaos and confusion,' she said. The hemp industry is urging Ivey to veto HB 445. Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for the governor, did not respond to a request for comment. If the governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature could override her veto, but it's also unclear whether the Legislature has the votes. The bill passed with a 60-27 vote and 14 abstentions out of the House and a 19-13 vote in the Senate. Parasiliti said he is hopeful for a veto. 'The governor's office just celebrated last week small business week, and here we are,' he said. 'If this bill is signed and put into law, it's going to be putting a lot of small businesses out of business.' Cole said that litigation is being considered, saying that 'the entire industry is looking at best practices moving forward, and litigation is being contemplated.' 'We're just trying to figure out what exactly is going to happen and what is not going to happen before we really start doing anything, but we are discussing it,' she said. The Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, also came out against the bill, though for different reasons, claiming on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the bill would legalize recreational cannabis use 'under the guise of protecting children.' Adding to the opposition, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin posted a statement on Facebook saying the bill undermines progress made in cannabis reform and harms small businesses. 'Alabama House Bill 445 is a step backwards and harmful to small businesses in Birmingham,' Woodfin said. 'Instead of moving us closer to justice and equity, this bill risks dragging us back to an era of cannabis criminalization, overregulation, and lost opportunity.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New regulations could be on the way for THC in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Lawmakers are cracking down on THC in the state of Alabama. A bill passed in the House aims to put a limit on who can buy hemp drinks and CBD gummies. According to Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest), it's about protecting children in the state of Alabama. Harvest said hemp drinks and other products can currently be found in convenience stores across the state. If Whitt's bill is signed into law, they may be a little harder to find. 'We're not making any claims that it's curing or treating anything,' said Carmelo Parasiliti, owner of Green Acres Organic Pharms. 'But our customers have given us countless testimonies on how it's given them a better standard of life.' Parasiliti said that better standard of life is because of his CBD products. He said new regulations on CBD gummies and lotions could be harmful for people who rely on the products. 'Medical cannabis has failed since 2021. No patients have been served. I'm not a doctor. You know, I'm not calling them my patients,' said Parasiliti. 'But there's people who are benefitting from this, and I think it's a crime to hastily try to rush and take it away.' Rep. Whitt explained his bill limits THC concentrations to five milligrams per serving for edibles and drinks. 'These are unregulated, unchecked, and dangerous products that are being sold to our children in our convenient stores and retailers across the state. And it's time we put guardrails on this to protect our students,' he said. Those guardrails would make it illegal for people under 21 to buy hemp products. Whitt said it would be regulated by the ABC board and tested by a third party to check THC levels. The bill also prohibits the sale of inhalable hemp products. Dothan man accused of sending 'suspicious' letters with child porn to Alabama governor If you use CBD gummies to sleep, he said they will still be available. 'There will be an avenue for you to purchase that. It will just be in 21 and over stores,' explained Whitt. 'And, it will be regulated, and it will be tested. That is for your benefit, and that is for your health. That way, you know exactly what you're getting.' Rep. Curtis Travis (D-Tuscaloosa) didn't support the bill because of accessibility concerns. 'I want to be fair to our people and everything and make sure they have those available methods rather than other hard drugs, because pain management is for real,' he said. Whitt said hemp drinks can even be bought on tap right now. At the end of the day, he said it's all about safety. 'I find that's extremely dangerous. Because, you don't know how that affects the medicine- the medication- that you may be taking. Or, when does that bartender know you've had too much?' he said. The bill now heads to the Senate for a committee vote. If it's signed into law, the age restriction on hemp products would start on January 1st. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
