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Alabama Governor Faces Contrasting Calls To Sign Or Veto Hemp Regulation Bill On Her Desk

Published
2 months agoon

“We’re just trying to figure out what exactly is going to happen and what is not going to happen before we really start doing anything.”
By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector
A bill aimed at regulating consumable hemp products has landed on Gov. Kay Ivey’s (R) desk, but its future is uncertain.
HB 445, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest), would establish regulations for consumable hemp products in Alabama, but the bill’s language and potential consequences have led the hemp industry to suggest the possibility of litigation and led to uncertainty among lawmakers, business owners, patients and lobbyists.
“It is my hope that the governor signs the bill this week. I think it’s a good piece of legislation. I think it’s a bipartisan piece of legislation, and certainly, we have to get the guardrails up on this industry,” Whitt said in a phone interview Tuesday.
Key provisions of the bill include:
- Testing and labeling requirements for all consumable hemp products.
- Caps of 10 milligrams per individually wrapped product, with a cap of 40 milligrams per package.
- Authorization for the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board to license retailers of these products.
- Restrictions on retail establishments selling hemp products.
- Prohibition of sales to minors.
- Prohibition of smokable hemp products and restrictions on online sales and direct delivery.
- Imposition of an excise tax on consumable hemp products.
The bill defines “consumable hemp product” broadly as any finished product intended for human or animal consumption that contains any part of the hemp plant or its derivatives, but explicitly bans smokable hemp products and certain psychoactive cannabinoids.
It’s unclear whether the bill would ban CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp. According to the bill, “any smokeable hemp product” not limited to “plant product or raw hemp material that is marketed to consumers as hemp cigarettes, hemp cigars, hemp joints, hemp buds, hemp flowers, hemp leaves, ground hemp flowers, or any variation of these terms to include any product that contains a cannabinoid, whether psychoactive or not.”
Disagreement among lawmakers
The bill was replaced with a substitute on the floor that had not been discussed in the Senate committee hearing, and a copy was not made available to the public until after its passage. Molly Cole, a lobbyist for the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association, said she wished a senator had asked for the bill to be read on the floor.
“When Sen. Melson came onto the floor and proposed this bill for the substitute,…no one called for it to be read on the floor. And then the way he proposed it was that all this bill does is move products to 21 and up stores,” Cole said, which she felt was misleading.
Even the bill’s sponsor and the senator who handled the bill in the upper chamber appear to be at odds over its implementation.
Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), whose bill aimed at hemp regulation failed in committee but who handled Whitt’s legislation in the Senate, said in an interview Tuesday that he was uncertain about whether the bill bans hemp-derived THC vapes. He thought that hemp-derived vapes could still be purchased in a 21-plus vape shop.
“The hemp vape products, yes, anything with the THC would go to, my understanding…they would go to vape stores. But that being said, I’d have to double check now that you got me questioning,” Melson said.
Whitt, however, was clear on the matter.
“Any smokeable, any inhaleable product, is banned under this legislation. Vapes would be banned as well that had delta-8 and [delta]-9 in those,” he said.
Delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC are psychoactive compounds found in cannabis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
‘Our future in Alabama is uncertain’
Representatives of the hemp industry strongly oppose the measure, warning of consequences for both businesses and consumers.
Carmelo Parasiliti, founder and CEO of Green Acres Organic Pharms in Florence, pointed to the potential damage the bill could have on his business. Parasiliti said that nearly every product they currently offer is federally legal and lab tested. Under HB 445, he said, it would all be illegal.
“We’re going to keep our storefront open and serve Alabama to the best of our ability, but our future in Alabama is uncertain, and I’m really hoping Gov. Kay Ivey will veto this bill if she truly supports small businesses,” Parasiliti said in an interview Tuesday.
He also pointed to potential harm to people who benefit from hemp medically, particularly those in a cancer program he started to provide free or low-cost hemp-derived products to people referred by providers.
“Even more troubling is the bill makes it unlawful to give these products away to people in need, no matter their condition, which I think is cruelty,” Parasiliti said.
Nancy Owen Nelson, a cancer patient living in Florence who uses hemp, mostly CBD, for symptom management and a participant in the Green Acres Organic Pharm cancer program, said she was disappointed with the bill. Nelson said he plans to write a letter to Ivey encouraging her to veto it. She said she tried to leave a voicemail but found it was full.
“The thing about this condition is that it is not anywhere in particular, so it is a whole body sensation, and a whole body fatigue. It helps me sleep, it helps me rest, and it helps me feel calmer,” Owen Nelson said.
Whitt and Melson say that the bill’s primary objective is to protect children and regulate an industry that has operated largely unchecked. Owen Nelson said she agrees with regulating the hemp industry but feels the bill goes too far, and that she wasn’t sure if the bill would accomplish its intent of limiting access for minors, saying that children will find a way to these products.
“It’s the responsibility of the vendors to not sell children and the families to protect their children within their homes,” she said.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—
Whitt felt strongly that the need for “guardrails” on the hemp industry, saying it was his goal to rein in “the wild west of what’s been derived out of the 2018 Farm Bill.”
The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp and any cannabis product with no more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight from the definition of marijuana under federal law.
Confusion in the industry
Molly Cole, a lobbyist for the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association, said the industry is confused about how the bill defines consumable hemp product. She also pointed to conflicting implementation dates, which say that the “act shall become effective on July 1, 2025,” but indicate that businesses have until January 1, 2026, to comply.
“That’s causing a lot of chaos and confusion,” she said.
The hemp industry is urging Ivey to veto HB 445. Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for the governor, did not respond to a request for comment. If the governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature could override her veto, but it’s also unclear whether the Legislature has the votes. The bill passed with a 60–27 vote and 14 abstentions out of the House and a 19–13 vote in the Senate.
Parasiliti said he is hopeful for a veto.
“The governor’s office just celebrated last week small business week, and here we are,” he said. “If this bill is signed and put into law, it’s going to be putting a lot of small businesses out of business.”
Cole said that litigation is being considered, saying that “the entire industry is looking at best practices moving forward, and litigation is being contemplated.”
“We’re just trying to figure out what exactly is going to happen and what is not going to happen before we really start doing anything, but we are discussing it,” she said.
The Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, also came out against the bill, though for different reasons, claiming on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the bill would legalize recreational cannabis use “under the guise of protecting children.”
Adding to the opposition, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin posted a statement on Facebook saying the bill undermines progress made in cannabis reform and harms small businesses.
“Alabama House Bill 445 is a step backwards and harmful to small businesses in Birmingham,” Woodfin said. “Instead of moving us closer to justice and equity, this bill risks dragging us back to an era of cannabis criminalization, overregulation, and lost opportunity.”
This story was first published by Alabama Reflector.

Author: mscannabiz.com
MScannaBIZ for all you Mississippi Cannabis News and Information.
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Delaware Lawmakers Seek Marijuana Consumer And Business Input Ahead Of State’s Legal Sales Launch Next Month

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Two Delaware lawmakers who led the push to legalize marijuana are now seeking input from consumers and businesses as the state’s commercial retail market prepares to launch on August 1.
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House Majority Whip Rep. Ed Osienski (D)—the primary sponsor of HB 1 and HB 2—and Sen. Trey Paradee (D), who also sponsored the legalization legislation, have put out a new online form for residents to share thoughts and feedback anonymously.
Hosted on a Delaware Senate Democrats website, the input form says that “whether you are a customer or a retailer, we want to hear your experience with Delaware’s adult-use cannabis sale rollout.”
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Lawmakers in 2023 passed HB 1 and HB 2 to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis—bills that then-Gov. John Carney (D) allowed to become law without his signature.
Regulators last month announced that legal cannabis sales to people 21 and older would begin on August 1.
“The start of legal adult-use marijuana sales reflects the tireless efforts of our regulatory team and our strong partnerships with state agencies, industry stakeholders, and community leaders,” Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin said in a press release, adding that the state’s focus “is on building a safe, equitable, and accountable marijuana market that delivers real benefits to Delawareans.”
Offering products will be all seven of Delaware’s existing medical marijuana operators, which have since converted to adult-use retailers. There are at least 13 locations across the state expected to be open for recreational sales next month.
Current Gov. Matt Meyer (D) has cheered the development, recently saying that “Delaware has taken a major step forward by launching a legal adult-use cannabis market that prioritizes equity, safety, and accountability.”
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The state’s Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OCM) initially projected that recreational sales would start by March, but complications related to securing an FBI fingerprint background check service code delayed the implementation. Lawmakers passed a bill in April to resolve the issue, and the FBI subsequently issued the code that the stat’s marijuana law requires.
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Regulators have also been rolling out a series of proposed regulations to stand up the forthcoming adult-use cannabis industry.
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The law also allows patients over the age of 65 to self-certify for medical cannabis access without the need for a doctor’s recommendation.
Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

Author: mscannabiz.com
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It’s 7/10.
Flip it and you get OIL. Simple as that.
Nothing too fancy. Just stoners with rigs and a love for the herb. A number turned sideways, a ritual passed hand to hand.
Long before 710 was a holiday, it was a whisper in online forums. Now it’s something else entirely: a day for the people who never stopped torching.
At High Times, we didn’t just watch this happen. We chronicled it. Pushed it. Got our fingers sticky with it. From the first whispers of BHO to glass tech that looked like it came from another galaxy, we were there.
Today, we look back, not out of nostalgia, but out of respect. Because this history still bubbles. And it still burns.
From the Vault: Covers That Hit Like a Dab
You know these.
Maybe they’re under your bed with a ring of reclaim on the corner. Maybe you ripped one apart to make a rolling tray. Doesn’t matter; they’re part of the culture now.


Every cover on that list came from a time when concentrates were still shaping their voice. And we helped put it on the loudspeaker.
Stories That Made It Real
“All Hail 7/10” – Mary Jane Gibson (2014)
The one that gave the holiday its headline. Witty, weird, and full of lore: Taco Bell stats, freeway signs, and a tip of the hat to Schapelle Corby.
“Happy 710! Tidbits and Trivia” (2023)
A quick cruise through the history and meaning of 710. Ancient hash, modern diamonds, angel numbers. Dab day with depth.
“Dabbling in Dabs” – Benjamin M. Adams (2023)
A full-spectrum dive. Rosin first surfaced on cannabis forums in the mid-2000s. The science behind shatter. The 710 Cup. Concentrate culture, unraveled.
“Generation Dab” – Bobby Black (2013)
Straight from the Cups, when booths were stacked with butane tanks and rigs lit like lighters.
“Vaporizing THC Oil” – Dr. Lunglife (1989)
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“9 Dab Videos You Need to See” (2017)
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It wasn’t a marketing stunt or a wellness campaign. It started in someone’s garage. In a forum post. In a back-of-the-sesh whisper.
Built by extract artists with burned knuckles and cracked lips. By stoners who cared about flavor. About feeling. About refining the plant into gold.
710 is for the ones who stuck around. The ones still here for it.
Lead image by Chewberto420

Author: mscannabiz.com
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featured
Former GOP House Speaker Pledges To Advance Access To Psychedelic Ibogaine That Could ‘Save Several Million Lives’

Published
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Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) says the psychedelic ibogaine represents an “astonishing breakthrough” in the nation’s current “sick care system” that’s left people with serious mental health conditions without access to promising alternative treatment options—and he intends to use his influence to advance the issue.
Gingrich, who has a mixed record on drug policy reform, spoke with W. Brian Hubbard, executive director of Americans for Ibogaine during a podcast interview that was published recently, and he expressed serious interest in promoting access to the psychedelic that’s been used in the treatment of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance misuse and more.
The former speaker is adding his voice to a growing, bipartisan choir of voices from current and former officials who see an opportunity with psychedelics to fill the treatment gap in the U.S.—particularly for military veterans.
“This could be an astonishing breakthrough in what has been a long losing struggle with addiction across this country,” Gingrich said. “It strikes me that the whole ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement—that this could be a very significant building block in getting us back to being a country that’s not addicted. I can’t imagine a more timely podcast than to be talking with you about this.”
“We currently have a sick care system when we need a healthcare system,” he said. “This strikes me as a perfect example of that. This is very, very exciting to me.”
While acknowledging that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to “balance risk against certainty” and emphasizing the need for studies to support the use of ibogaine in a “controlled environment,” Gingrich said he was “so inspired” by the conversation he had with Hubbard that he’s “personally going to be strongly engaged in moving the idea around and getting people to look at it.”
“You’re really doing something which will, over the next generation, save several million lives. It’s amazing,” the former speaker said.
The message around the therapeutic potential of psychedelics has been getting out in a number of ways, including in prominent conservative media circles and within the Trump administration.
For example, a Navy SEAL veteran credited with killing Osama Bin Laden said during a Fox News interview this week that psychedelic therapy has helped him process the trauma he experienced during his time in the military, stressing that “it works” and should be an available treatment option.
That interview came days after the U.S. House of Representatives included an amendment to a spending bill from Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI) that would encourage VA to support research into the benefits of psychedelics in treating medical conditions commonly affecting military veterans.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins also disclosed in April that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he said he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access.
Collins also recently visited a facility conducting research on psychedelics, and he reiterated that it’s his “promise” to advance research into the therapeutic potential of the substances—even if that might take certain policy changes within the department and with congressional support.
The secretary’s visit to the psychedelics research center came about a month after the VA secretary met with a military veteran who’s become an advocate for psilocybin access to discuss the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine for the veteran community.
Collins also briefly raised the issue in a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump in April.
Meanwhile last month, bipartisan congressional lawmakers asked the VA head to meet with them to discuss ways to provide access to psychedelic medicine for military veterans.
In a letter sent to Collins, Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—co-chairs of the Congressional Psychedelic Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus—said they were “encouraged by your recent remarks about the importance of pursuing research into psychedelic treatments and other alternative treatments to improve Veterans’ care.”
Correa and Bergman separately introduced a bill in April to provide $30 million in funding annually to establish psychedelics-focused “centers for excellence” at VA facilities, where veterans could receive novel treatment involving substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—
Bergman has also expressed optimism about the prospects of advancing psychedelics reform under Trump, arguing that the administration’s efforts to cut spending and the federal workforce will give agencies “spines” to tackle such complex issues.
Kennedy, for his part, also said in April that he had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at 15 years old, which he took because he thought he’d be able to see dinosaurs, as portrayed in a comic book he was a fan of.
Last October, Kennedy specifically criticized FDA under the prior administration over the agency’s “suppression of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said amounted to a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.
In December, VA separately announced that it’s providing $1.5 million in funding to study the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Last year, VA’s Yehuda also touted an initial study the agency funded that produced “stunning and robust results” from its first-ever clinical trial into MDMA therapy.
In January, former VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said that it was “very encouraging” that Trump’s pick to have Kennedy lead HHS has supported psychedelics reform. And he hoped to work with him on the issue if he stayed on for the next administration, but that didn’t pan out.
Photo courtesy of Flickr/Scamperdale.

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