Austin, Nov 13 (EFE), – The signing this Wednesday of the US Government financing package by President Donald Trump includes a measure that prohibits products with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, which has generated strong reactions in this industry.
The approved amendment establishes that, starting November 13, 2026, hemp-derived products that contain synthetic or unnatural cannabinoids, more than 0.3% of total THC (including THCA), or more than 0.4 mg of THC per container, will be outside federal legality.
In 2018, during Trump’s first term, Congress legalized the sale and production of hemp, one of the variants of the cannabis plant, nationwide, which contains low amounts of THC.
Since then, hundreds of businesses have opened throughout the country specializing in the sale of THC items and it is common to see everything from gummies to electronic cigarettes (vapes) and drinks of this substance in gas stations and liquor stores.
The measure also gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 90 days to publish a list of affected natural and synthetic cannabinoids, as well as a clear definition of “packaging.”
The reaction from the sector was immediate. The US Hemp Roundtable (USHR) association called the text a “deep blow,” warning that the rule could “eliminate more than 95% of all hemp products” on the market today.
For its part, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) stated that the inclusion of this measure “underscores the fragmented and unsustainable approach that the federal government is taking with cannabis” and advocated for a comprehensive reform that treats hemp and marijuana as “a single plant.”
The analyzes of the sector highlight that, although the provision leaves one year for its entry into force, this “window” could serve both to adapt and to debate an alternative regulatory framework.
However, several market operators warn that the measure represents a “setback” for innovation, hemp farmers and brands that had opted for beverages, edibles and other light THC derivatives of hemp.
Some highlight that the rule does not affect the cultivation of industrial hemp for fiber, seed or non-intoxicating products, but will radically transform the landscape for consumer products that until now operated in a gray area of federal regulations.
More than 300,000 jobs tied to the hemp economy are at risk, according to Whitney Economics, a hemp and cannabis research firm, from farmers and extractors to manufacturers, logistics companies and retailers.
