Yo, peep this – the DEA just dropped some knowledge about that THCA and how it gotta be counted when you calculating THC levels to be legal hemp. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, you gotta include that THCA in the mix if you tryna stay on the right side of the law. Terrence Boos from the DEA’s drug and chemical evaluation section broke it down in a letter dated May 13. He said that THCA, which turns into that delta-9 THC when you heat it up, gotta be part of the THC concentration calculations. And now, everybody in the hemp game is stressing about how they gonna keep up with these new rules.
Basically, Boos said that legal limit of 0.3% delta-9 THC ain’t just about the THC itself but also includes that THCA once it’s heated and converted. So, if your cannabis-derived THCA ain’t within that threshold, then it ain’t considered hemp under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This info was reported by Marijuana Moment, so you know it’s legit.
All this drama kicked off ’cause this cannabis lawyer Shane Pennington wanted more deets on the whole situation. And now, with Congress thinking about tweaking regulations in the Farm Bill, everyone in the industry is sweating bullets over what might come next.
The new rules got people shook in the hemp industry ’cause now they gotta worry about not just THC but also that THCA content. That means more testing, more legal headaches, and who knows what else down the line. While Congress is talking about making changes to the Farm Bill, folks in the industry are keeping a close eye on what’s going down.
Groups like the U.S. Hemp Roundtable ain’t feeling this new interpretation at all. Jonathan Miller, their counsel, straight-up said it could destroy the hemp game ’cause most farmers ain’t gonna be able to meet these new guidelines. He’s telling supporters to hit up lawmakers and tell ’em to shut this amendment down.
Shawn Hauser from Vicente LLP’s hemp and cannabinoids practice also dropped some truth bombs. She said that according to the Farm Bill, you gotta test for THC before harvest, including that THCA. And if your plant got too much THCA, it might be breaking the law with too much THC. This whole situation got businesses and state regulators confused as hell.
And now everyone is buggin’ ’cause if this amendment passes, a lot of hemp farmers gonna struggle to keep up with these new rules. The industry as a whole is on edge waiting to see what happens and hoping for some quick legislative action to stop this madness.
But hold up – there’s more drama brewing in Congress over banning hemp-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC. The U.S. Cannabis Council wants stricter rules on intoxicating hemp products, but others in the industry are worried these measures might accidentally make non-intoxicating CBD products illegal. That could mess everything up for a lot of folks in the hemp game.
Curaleaf Holdings ain’t happy about all these potential changes either. Boris Jordan, their big boss man, went public saying they disagree with Rep. Mary Miller’s amendment trying to limit hemp-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC. They think all legal players should follow the same safety standards so consumers stay protected and legit businesses can keep doing their thing.
So yeah, this whole situation is a hot mess right now. The DEA dropping bombs about THCA and THC levels, Congress debating bans on certain cannabinoids, and big players like Curaleaf Holdings speaking out against it all. The future of the hemp industry hangs in the balance while everyone waits to see how this all plays out. Stay tuned for more updates ’cause this drama ain’t over yet.
