By Morgan Tweet, co-founder and CEO of IND HEMP and executive director of The Hemp Feed Coalition
Licensed cannabis operators have long criticized the surge of intoxicating hemp-derived products, yet many of the same companies have quietly built hemp beverage lines and cannabinoid brands of their own even while pushing for tighter restrictions on the category. That contradiction underscores a simple point: consumer demand for hemp cannabinoids is real, and the real debate is over what rules should govern it.
One proposed answer is the Goodness of Hemp Act, a draft framework developed by a coalition of hemp stakeholders and now being circulated to congressional offices as lawmakers weigh the future of hemp-derived cannabinoids. Though not formally introduced, it's being reviewed both as a standalone bill and as a source of provisions that could bolster existing legislative proposals.
With a federal ban on many hemp THC products set to take effect November 12 under last year's congressional appropriations process, some cannabis businesses see the deadline as a chance to reset competitive conditions after years of rivaling less-regulated hemp products. But eliminating today's hemp market may not deliver the reset they expect. Some consumers will simply exit the category rather than switch to traditional cannabis, while unmet demand could push toward unregulated sellers offering untested, unsafe products — damage that erodes trust in cannabis and hemp alike.
As Congress prepares to revisit hemp policy later this year, the industry has a chance to move past short-term extensions toward a lasting national framework. The Goodness of Hemp Act, in the author's view, offers real compromise. It would restrict inhalable hemp products, keeping that category reserved for regulated cannabis and reinforcing state-licensed dispensaries' core product line. It would also set clearer boundaries between hemp and cannabis based on THC concentration and intended use, and it would prioritize consumer protection and market accountability over the current regulatory ambiguity.
"The Goodness of Hemp Act represents one of the most reasonable opportunities for compromise currently on the table," Tweet writes, arguing it goes further than rival proposals that mainly extend timelines or preserve existing rules.
The Goodness of Hemp Act emerged from extensive coordination among stakeholders seeking more than another temporary fix, aiming instead to deliver clarity for regulated operators, stronger consumer protections, and new opportunities for farmers and rural communities. Tweet argues that regulated cannabis's long-term success may hinge less on stamping out hemp and more on helping design the rules that shape it.
Photo courtesy of Brendan Cleak.
