A.G. Gancarski
Changes were promised to the hemp bill in the House, and the bill sponsor delivered ahead of the Infrastructure Strategies Committee meeting.
Lawmakers approved the changes and the overall bill unanimously in what is the measure’s final committee stop. Thus, the version that will be heard on the House floor will be significantly different than the original filing, stripped of language regarding THC caps and synthetic derived cannabinoids.
In a “significant” strike-all amendment filed Friday to HB 1475, Rep. Will Robinson conceded on a major bone of contention in previous committees. The new language omits any limit on the amount of allowable THC in products, either in individual servings or in full packages.
The bill originally envisioned a limit of 0.5 milligrams of THC per dose, or 2 milligrams per container, a proposal which rankled the hemp industry. The cap was subsequently lifted from 0.5 milligrams per serving to 5 milligrams per serving, and from 2 milligrams per package to 50 milligrams per package.
“All caps are O-U-T, out,” Robinson said.
However, the new language dispenses with the THC cap, a bone of contention in committee stops among industry advocates and Democrats who said they wanted and expected changes before the bill found its final version.
Additionally, the definition and prohibition of “synthetic derived cannabinoid,” which was another point in the original bill that Robinson says got “significant pushback from farmers and manufacturers,” is also “out” of the bill with the new amendment.
The amendment got support from audience members and Democrats who had bristled at other committee stops, a sign that the bill was in a more industry-friendly posture with the amendment.
“Thanks for y’all’s leadership on it,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani.
While these points change, others remain constant. The prohibition on hemp product purchases by people under the age of 21 is intact in the final committee version, as is the requirement that packaging not be “attractive to children.”
The bill deals primarily with food and food safety, and does not affect creams, lotions, shampoos and other “non-ingestible hemp products,” Robinson noted in committee Monday.
A version of this bill — albeit one without the changes made in the House — is live in the Senate. Sen. Colleen Burton’s legislation (SB 1676) still has one committee stop ahead, though the Senate is likely to receive the House product in Messages if passed.
2 comments
Earl Pitts American
April 17, 2023 at 8:32 pm
Good evening America,
We are taking a second look at making weed more available. Research has indicated 87% of weed use is done by leftists. Due to the fact weed makes humans week, fat, absent minded, and lazy we got to thinking…” heck yeah our leftists wont care about anything any longer if we keep them stoned all the time”.
Our plan will include increasing weed rations about 4 months prior to major elections. The stoner leftists will be too high to vote and 87% less Democratic votes cast per election is just fine with conservatives! Weed for all leftists!!!!
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts American
Teresa Miller
April 25, 2023 at 8:05 am
While many states are banning Delta-8 or putting THC limits on these products, Florida legislators vote to make it legal by law, not just via the Farm Hemp loophole. The progression of this bill and ending up with no THC limits proves how much the pot industry influences our legislators. While many families (their constituents) are struggling because loved ones have committed suicide or have cannabis induced psychosis due to the high level of THC in products. This is beyond reckless. User claim it has medical benefits while denying the adverse side-effects. Florida is going to be the Delta-8 destination state reminiscent of the PIll Mill Capital of the south in the early 2000’s. “From Big Tobacco to Big Pharma to Big Marijuana—it’s the same people, and the same pattern.” Big Marijuana is just another name for legal Drug Dealers/Drug Lords. Very upsetting to see our state take a large step backwards when it comes to preventing addiction and saving families from life long struggles.
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