Louisiana’s Hemp Industry Avoids Shutdown, Faces New Restrictions
Baton Rouge, LA – The hemp products industry in Louisiana narrowly avoided a significant crisis after state lawmakers rejected a Senate proposal that would have effectively shut down around 2,000 hemp companies. The proposal’s failure in the House was a relief to industry stakeholders, as reported by the Louisiana Illuminator.
Legislative Developments
Despite the Senate’s push to end the hemp industry, senators approved House Bill 952 with modifications. This bill, which passed the Senate with a 37-1 vote, aims to restrict the types of products that can contain hemp-derived THC and limit the amount of THC per serving. The House must approve these changes by Monday evening, the end of the legislative session.
Louisiana lawmakers have been negotiating various regulatory proposals for hemp products over the past few weeks. On Friday, the House considered amendments to the Senate’s industry ban, seeking to find a compromise by prohibiting intoxicating ingredients in hemp products. These amendments were ultimately rejected in a 39-60 vote, and the bill failed to advance further.
Industry and Political Reactions
Representative Mandie Landry (D-New Orleans) highlighted the apparent hypocrisy among some lawmakers during the debate. “I know there are a lot of you in this room who smoke weed, who ingest weed. If you don’t vote against this, I think you’re being a huge hypocrite,” she stated.
Meanwhile, in the U.S. House of Representatives, lawmakers have added an amendment to the federal Farm Bill that would ban the sale of hemp-derived intoxicating products. The fate of this amendment remains uncertain in the divided Congress.
Implications for the Hemp Industry
The rejection of the industry-wide shutdown proposal has provided a temporary reprieve for Louisiana’s hemp businesses. However, the new restrictions proposed in HB 952 will likely impose significant changes on how these companies operate. The industry is closely watching the developments in both state and federal legislatures to understand the full impact of these regulatory changes.
