Florida's crack down on intoxicating hemp-based products now rests in the hands of Governor Ron DeSantis after state lawmakers pulled the trigger yesterday on a measure that would vastly limit their availability. The Florida House and Senate passed a bill targeting delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in hemp products, with a 64-48 vote in the House and a unanimous vote in the Senate. According to NBC Miami, the legislation aims to close a loophole from 2019, potentially slamming the door on businesses selling hemp products with euphoric effects.
Caught in the crossfire, hemp manufacturers and sellers are sounding off warnings, predicting the collapse of businesses and a push towards black market activities. During debate, Rep. Hillary Cassel, D-Dania Beach, highlighted a contradiction whereby the state's medical-marijuana operators could stay in business selling similar products despite the ban. "Let’s be very clear. This drug will still be available, and it will still be sold in Florida," Cassel said, as per a quote obtained by NBC Miami.
There were notable concerns among Democrats about the potential criminalization of residents using these products for medical purposes. In a statement reported by NBC Miami, Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, said, "If we pass this bill, they are going to become criminals. They are going to depend on drug dealers so they can function normally. Is that what we really want?"
House sponsor Tommy Gregory, R-Lakewood Ranch, countered, asserting the bill's intent to rectify previous legislative missteps. They had been misled, he suggested, by savvy entrepreneurs turning a loophole into a profit stream from recreational drugs. "There’s more money in drugs than rope," Gregory declared, indicating how 2019 lawmakers "were duped" into approving the legislation allowing hemp cultivation. Shared by NBC Miami, the bill sets stringent THC concentration caps in hemp products, a move some see as fitting for substances paralleling the likes of opium in their effects.
As the bill hits the governor's desk, its reverberations through Florida’s business and healthcare communities are poised to be significant. The measure, shared by WFTV on X, stands as a testament to the ongoing contention surrounding hemp products and their intoxicating abilities, surrounding the complex intersection of agriculture, entrepreneurship, health, and the law.
A measure aimed at outlawing intoxicating hemp-based products is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis, after the House and Senate passed it Wednesday. https://t.co/aPud3WNHX7
— WFTV Channel 9 (@WFTV) March 7, 2024
