Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) of Missouri received 10,000 handwritten letters Tuesday urging him to veto a state bill banning intoxicating hemp products, collected in 10 days from small-business owners, farmers, and customers statewide.
Jay Patel, president of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, spoke at a press conference on the Missouri Capitol steps Tuesday. "The bill sits on the governor's desk, and if signed, it would effectively eliminate an entire industry in Missouri—the hemp industry—regardless of any federal change in legislation or extensions that may occur," he said.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Dave Hinman (R) of O'Fallon, would pull all intoxicating hemp products—including THC seltzers sold in bars and grocery stores—from shelves starting November 12, matching a federal ban on the same date. If Congress reverses course and allows those products, Missouri would restrict sales to licensed marijuana dispensaries only; if Congress delays the ban, Missouri would still prohibit all such products except beverages.
Opponents argue Missouri's rules would remain more restrictive than any revised federal framework. Kehoe has publicly backed aligning with the federal ban. Spokeswoman Gabrielle Picard said he has 15 days to sign or veto after officially receiving the bill, has not yet made a decision, and called the letter volume "somewhat unique."
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) supports the bill and has sent 33 cease-and-desist letters to businesses since November. Products with up to 1,000 mg of THC are sold in smoke shops outside the licensed dispensary system, unregulated by any government agency. Missouri lawmakers have not enacted a regulatory framework for these products since 2023.
The federal picture remains uncertain. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December directing his administration to develop a full-spectrum CBD framework. On April 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched a program that could cover $500 per year in hemp-derived THC (3 mg per serving) and CBD products for eligible beneficiaries—though Congress would need to amend the ban language for those products to remain legal.
Brian Riegel, owner of South Point Hemp, said Missouri's bill would bar state patients from the Medicare initiative. Hinman described the bill as codifying federal language and enabling local police and prosecutors to enforce the federal ban, adding that the federal government has already declared these businesses end November 12 regardless of the governor's decision.