In a surprise move this November, Congress tucked a sweeping hemp ban into a must-pass government funding bill. With no standalone vote or public debate, the spending bill that ended the government shutdown also included language to outlaw most hemp-derived products nationwide by late 2026. This provision, buried 144 pages deep in an appropriations bill, redefines “hemp” to ban any product over 0.3% total THC and caps THC content at just 0.4 milligrams per container. That tiny limit would effectively wipe out full-spectrum CBD oils used in pet treats, THCa flower, Delta 8/Delta 9 gummies, vapes, chocolates, drinks – almost the entire $30 billion hemp market.

The good news: nothing changes immediately. The law built in a one-year delay before any ban takes effect. All your favorite hemp products remain fully legal right now, giving us until November 2026 before any new restrictions kick in. And critically, this ban is not set in stone. Lawmakers on both sides admit the hemp language is flawed and needs fixing. In other words, the fight isn’t over – it’s just beginning. As one hemp business owner put it, “Now the fight actually begins”. We have a year to mobilize, advocate, and demand a better solution than prohibition.

Big Alcohol’s $900,000 Lobbying Push – Fear of Cannabis Competition

Why did a hemp ban appear so suddenly? Follow the money. This crackdown was quietly inserted by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – a retiring senator from bourbon country – after a heavy almost $900,000 lobbying push from the big alcohol industry. Major alcohol trade groups (the Beer Institute, Distilled Spirits Council, Wine Institute, etc.) pressured Congress to “immediately remove hemp-derived THC products from the marketplace”. Why? These influential groups see hemp-derived THC beverages and gummies as unwelcome competition – especially among younger, “sober-curious” consumers who are opting for THC-infused seltzers instead of beer or liquor. In recent years a gray market boom in hemp-based THC drinks has taken off, even in states without legal marijuana. From bars to grocery stores, hemp seltzers and tonics have been encroaching on alcohol’s turf.

It appears Big Alcohol panicked. By 2025, reports of THC-infused drinks “competing with alcohol in bars and retail markets” had captured lawmakers’ attention. Rather than allow a new cannabinoid beverages industry to flourish, the liquor lobby moved to snuff it out. The result: McConnell’s last-minute hemp rider, effectively protecting the alcohol industry’s market share by eliminating its rising hemp competitor. (It hasn’t gone unnoticed that Sen. McConnell’s political coffers have benefited handsomely from alcohol industry donations in recent years.) This isn’t a wild conspiracy – even mainstream commentators have noted the bourbon senator’s hemp ban “is entirely a coincidence. Or not.” as one observer drily put it.

Importantly, not everyone in Congress agreed with McConnell. Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky fought hard against the hemp ban, calling it unrelated to reopening the government and warning it would hurt Kentucky farmers. Paul’s common-sense amendment to strip the ban garnered bipartisan support – even Ted Cruz sided with him – but ultimately failed. The ban language survived in the final bill, over Paul’s objections. Meanwhile, a growing number of lawmakers are already working on reversing or revising this policy. (Rep. Nancy Mace has introduced a bill to repeal the ban entirely and replace it with proper regulations.) The takeaway: This ban was driven by powerful lobbyists, not public safety, and there is significant political will to correct it in the coming months.

What the Ban Would Do – and Who Gets Hurt

As written, the new law would fundamentally rewrite federal hemp policy. It closes the “hemp loophole” from 2018 by expanding the 0.3% THC limit to all forms of THC, including THCa and Delta 9, on a dry-weight basis. It then adds a draconian 0.4 mg total THC per-package cap, which bans most full-spectrum or psychoactive hemp products outright. Even a single CBD gummy or pet treat often contains more than 0.4 mg of THC (that’s less than half a milligram!) in naturally occurring traces. The law bans “synthetically” converted cannabinoids like Delta-8 made from CBD, and even sets a precedent to outlaw any future cannabinoid that produces a THC-like effect. In short, it pulls the rug out from under an entire industry that has operated legally for years – with one stroke, Congress re-criminalized products that millions of Americans rely on daily.

Who gets hurt by such an extreme ban? Ordinary people – not “stoned teenagers,” as some prohibitionists would have you believe. Adults of all ages, seniors, veterans, and even pets stand to lose access to beneficial hemp products. These are non-intoxicating or mildly intoxicating remedies that people use for pain relief, sleep, anxiety, stress, and overall wellness. For example, Veterans with PTSD, chronic pain and insomnia have found relief in hemp-derived cannabinoids. In a letter to Congress, leaders of Veterans of Foreign Wars urged lawmakers to remember that hemp products “offer a real alternative to the heavy prescription drugs so many veterans are given for PTSD, anxiety, pain, and sleep problems.” Banning them would “drive veterans looking for relief straight to black-market junk – making things riskier, not safer,” the VFW warned.

Likewise, countless seniors use CBD or low THC oils for arthritis and sleep, choosing hemp over addictive opioids or sleeping pills. Parents of children with epilepsy have turned to legal CBD. Pet owners use CBD treats to ease their dogs’ anxiety or pain. All of these lawful uses would be swept up in the ban. It’s not just “THC vapes” and party gummies on the line – it’s the wellness routines of everyday Americans, including some of our most vulnerable populations. Eliminating regulated hemp products won’t eliminate the need: it will only force consumers to seek alternatives (potentially unsafe or illegal ones) to manage their health.

Your Pets Are Caught In The Crossfire Too

One of the most overlooked parts of this hemp ban is what it does to pets.

Under the new rules, almost any full-spectrum CBD pet oil or treat that contains a natural trace amount of THC over 0.4 mg per package would be illegal. That includes products pet owners use every day for:  

• Arthritis and joint pain
• Seizures and epilepsy
• Anxiety and stress (storms, fireworks, car rides, separation)
• Chronic conditions where traditional medications are too hard on the liver or kidneys

Veterinarian Dr. Tim Shu, founder of VetCBD, has warned that if this ban takes effect, “pets will suffer needlessly” because so many animals rely on full-spectrum CBD to manage pain, seizures, and age-related issues.  

A few key points that matter if you’re a pet owner:

• Research and real-world use show CBD can reduce seizures, calm anxiety, and ease arthritis in dogs.
• The “entourage effect” – tiny amounts of THC plus CBD and other cannabinoids – can make these products more effective than pure CBD isolate. The ban effectively forces everything into isolate-only form.
• The niche pet CBD market is small but highly dependent on hemp, so even a small policy change can wipe it out completely.  

So when Congress says this is about “dangerous THC candies,” remember:
They’re also talking about the CBD chew that lets your senior dog walk without crying, or the oil that keeps a cat’s seizures under control.

A blanket ban doesn’t distinguish between a gas-station Delta 8 gummies and a carefully dosed pet tincture that a veterinarian recommends. It all gets swept into the same category.

Prohibition Won’t Protect Kids – It Will Fuel a Black Market

The hemp ban has been justified by some as a way to protect children from high-THC candy and vape products. Let’s be clear: we absolutely agree that stronger measures are needed to keep intoxicating products away from minors. No one in the legitimate hemp industry wants kids buying Delta 8 gummies at the gas station. But a blanket prohibition is the wrong approach – in fact, it will likely make things worse for youth and public safety. History has shown that bans do not make demand disappear; they simply push it into unregulated channels. We saw this in the 1920s with alcohol, and we’ve seen it with cannabis in the past. Banning a product that people want creates a perfect opportunity for black-market operators – with no ID checks, no lab testing, and no oversight – to fill the void.

Even segments of the alcohol industry acknowledge this fact. A coalition of 54 beer, wine, and spirits distributors (middlemen who actually sell products to stores) publicly opposed the hemp ban, arguing that “overly broad prohibition will only push consumers toward unregulated and potentially dangerous alternatives.” They urged Congress instead to regulate and tax hemp products like alcohol, noting that demand “will not disappear” if legal hemp is banned. In their letter, the distributors warned that prohibition would backfire – an argument that “echoes historical lessons from alcohol prohibition”. The VFW voiced a similar concern: a ban would send veterans straight to “black-market junk.”

Simply put, we don’t protect young people by banning hemp and hoping the problem goes away. If minors are obtaining intoxicating hemp products now, it’s because of insufficient regulation and enforcement – gaps that a ban doesn’t fix. Those same minors (and adults) will seek out other sources of THC if legal avenues vanish. That could mean unsafe, untested knockoffs sold online, or stronger high-THC marijuana from illicit dealers. None of that is better than a regulated hemp market with proper age-gating. As one legal analysis put it, “bans often fuel unregulated markets rather than eliminating consumer interest.”  Kids will actually be less safe if this ban drives THC products underground, where there’s zero accountability.

A Devastating Economic Impact on Small Businesses and Farms

Beyond consumers, the hemp ban threatens to decimate an entire cottage industry of American small businesses and farmers. Since the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived cannabinoids have blossomed into a $28–30 billion industry supporting about 300,000 jobs nationwide. These are not giant corporations; they are local hemp farms like the ones we partner with, mom-and-pop CBD shops, small manufacturers, and independent brands that have thrived in small towns and communities (especially in states without legal cannabis). For many rural areas, hemp has been a boon – creating jobs and tax revenue, revitalizing struggling Main Streets with new hemp wellness stores, and giving farmers a profitable crop beyond the usual corn or soybeans. All of that is now at risk. One analysis estimates 95% of hemp-derived products would be forced off the market, up to 95% of companies shut down, and hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, if this ban is fully implemented. It’s hard to overstate the potential economic carnage.

In effect, the ban picks winners and losers. The losers are the small hemp businesses and family farms that jumped through all the legal hoops to comply with the 2018 law – only to have the rules yanked out from under them with no warning. “In a single legislative move,” one report noted, “Congress reframed the legal status of an entire sector,” leaving farmers to absorb an “economic shock” with little recourse. Meanwhile, the winners are the large, incumbent industries that hemp was disrupting – Big Alcohol and the state-licensed marijuana industry. Indeed, many observers point out that legal marijuana companies (who operate dispensaries in regulated states) were likely pleased to see their hemp competitors banned. A Texas hemp grower lamented that the federal bill “hands our entire market to other industries,” benefiting alcohol and marijuana dispensaries instead of allowing meaningful regulation for hemp. In states like Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina – which have thriving hemp markets but limited or no recreational marijuana – this federal ban would essentially give licensed marijuana sellers a monopoly on all THC products. Hemp farmers in those states can’t just “pivot” to growing for dispensaries, either (often those supply chains are tightly controlled by licensing). As one North Carolina shop owner put it, “We can’t really pivot… we wouldn’t be in business anymore” if these products were outlawed.

So many livelihoods are on the line. At our own shop and others across the country, employees are worried about their futures. Local tax revenues that come from hemp commerce (helping fund schools, roads, etc.) would vanish. And for what? To protect the market share of a few big bourbon distilleries and cannabis conglomerates, apparently. This is why even many Republicans and Democrats who initially supported hemp are shocked to see a virtual repeal of hemp legalization jammed through. The hemp industry grew faster than lawmakers expected, but the answer isn’t to burn it down – it’s to establish sensible guardrails.

Regulation, Not Prohibition: A Smarter Path Forward

At Canna Dos, we firmly believe there is a better solution: reasonable regulation rather than heavy-handed prohibition. In fact, the responsible actors in the hemp industry have been advocating for common-sense regulations all along. We agree that hemp and cannabis products should be treated more like alcohol – age-restricted, properly labeled, lab-tested for safety, and sold by accountable, licensed businesses. That is exactly how we operate today. We do not sell any synthetic cannabinoids or anything marketed to children. We only offer safe, state-compliant, lab-tested hemp products for adults. It’s frustrating to hear some in Congress paint hemp retailers as a reckless Wild West, when in reality the reputable hemp shops already self-impose strict standards that go above and beyond what’s legally required.

Rather than banning hemp, lawmakers should work with the industry on a regulatory framework that addresses legitimate concerns (like underage access and product quality) without destroying the entire market. Here are some of the key measures we and other hemp advocates support:

• 21+ Age Restrictions and ID Verification: Just like alcohol and tobacco, hemp-derived THC products should be sold only to adults. Enforce ID checks for in-store and online sales. Responsible vendors are happy to comply – we already do.
• Accurate Labeling and Packaging: Require clear labeling of THC content and appropriate warnings on all products. Ban packaging that mimics candy or targets kids. Child-resistant packaging can be mandated for edibles and vapes.
• Third-Party Lab Testing: Every batch of ingestible hemp product should come with a certificate of analysis from an independent lab, verifying its cannabinoid content and purity (no pesticides, heavy metals, etc.). Many of us in the industry already provide lab reports with our products. Make it the law for everyone.
• Product Quality and Safety Standards: Develop reasonable potency limits per serving (not an absurd 0.4 mg per container, but sensible caps akin to state cannabis laws) if needed. We have seen the 0.3% THC limit can be effective and compliant. Prohibit dangerous additives or unsanitary production. In short, regulate hemp products similarly to legal cannabis or alcohol – with standards to ensure safety and consistency.
• Enforcement Against Bad Actors: Rather than punish the entire industry, crack down on the actual bad actors – e.g. companies selling neon-colored Delta 8 gummies with cartoon characters, or convenience stores selling to minors. Increase penalties for those who flout age limits or quality standards, instead of outlawing all products, just as we do for businesses that sell alcohol or cigarettes to minors.

These steps would protect consumers (including youth) far more effectively than a ban, while preserving adult freedom and the economic benefits of the hemp sector. Even the VFW, in its plea to Congress, said “we’re asking for smart policy: protect the public, but don’t kill the research” (or the industry). Regulators could easily bring hemp in line with the same rules that have worked for alcohol and legal cannabis. In many states, this is already happening – dozens of states enacted age-gating and testing rules for Delta 8 and other hemp products in recent years, proving that regulation is feasible. We at Canna Dos welcome regulation – we have nothing to hide and everything to gain from clear, fair rules that weed out bad actors and build consumer trust.

By contrast, an outright ban throws the baby out with the bathwater. It punishes both consumers and responsible businesses for the misdeeds of a few. It’s akin to responding to underage drinking by reinstating Alcohol Prohibition – a cure worse than the disease. We can do better, and we must do better.

Join the Fight for Hemp’s Future

The hemp community – from farmers to retailers to consumers – is not taking this lying down. Over the next 12 months, we will be mobilizing to fight back and push for reform. Lawmakers are already signaling willingness to revisit this issue. The upcoming Farm Bill revision is our best chance to replace the ban with a balanced approach. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who benefit from hemp products – or you simply believe in freedom of choice and small business – now is the time to make your voice heard.

Here’s how you can help fight for American hemp:

• Contact Your Representatives: Call or email your members of Congress. Let them know how hemp products have helped you or your family. Urge them to support regulation, not prohibition. (There is active bipartisan discussion about fixing the hemp language – they need to hear from constituents that this matters!).
• Share Your Story: If you rely on CBD or THC for quality of life, tell your story. Many advocacy groups are compiling testimonials to show lawmakers the human side of hemp. These real stories can powerfully counteract the stigma and misinformation.
• Stay Informed and Involved: Follow reputable industry news (e.g. Marijuana Moment, U.S. Hemp Roundtable) for updates on legislative efforts. Support organizations fighting for hemp farmers’ and consumers’ rights. If any public hearings or comment periods open up, be ready to speak up.
• Support Hemp Businesses: Continue to shop from compliant, law-abiding hemp businesses during this one-year grace period. Your support helps small companies survive and fund advocacy. Additionally, many shops (like ours) are donating portions of proceeds to legal funds and lobbying efforts to overturn the ban. Every dollar is a vote for the industry’s survival.

Most importantly, don’t lose hope. The very fact that this ban was sneaked in quietly shows that its backers know it couldn’t withstand public scrutiny as a standalone measure. When we shine a light on what’s at stake – patients losing medicine, veterans losing alternatives to opioids, farmers losing livelihoods – we can build a broad coalition to stop this overreach. We have done it before (many states rejected similar bans) and we can do it nationally.

Canna Dos is proud to stand with our fellow hemp advocates in this fight. We will continue to stay transparent, stay compliant, and keep you informed every step of the way. We’re not giving up, and you shouldn’t either. With unity and persistence, we can ensure reasonable regulation prevails over reflexive prohibition.

For more information and resources on how to take action, visit our Fight For American Hemp page – it only takes 30 seconds to send a pre-written message to your lawmakers from there. Together, let’s make sure this ill-conceived ban does not spell the end of the hemp industry. The fight for hemp’s future is on – and we intend to win it, for the sake of farmers, small businesses, and all Americans who deserve access to safe, plant-based wellness.

Divided we beg. United, we can save hemp in America. 💪🌱