As bicameral lawmakers work to reach a deal on provisions for federal spending legislation, including how to settle an increasingly contentious debate about hemp products, competing interests are making their voices heard on how they think Congress should handle the issue.

To that end, a GOP senator is hoping to replace a proposed ban on hemp THC products with alternate language mandating a study into state regulatory models for consumable cannabinoids, while a group of state attorneys general are taking steps to urge Republican leadership to move ahead with an outright prohibition on intoxicating products.

While the House has not yet passed its version of the agriculture spending bill, the Senate version was combined into a so-called minibus with appropriations legislation that also covers defense and the legislative branch. Last month, House leadership requested a conference committee and appointed negotiators, despite not having advanced its own companion bill through the chamber.

The Senate hasn’t appointed its conferees, and no formal meetings have taken place so far, but it’s reported that appropriators have been informally discussing relevant issues. And one GOP senator is angling to get ahead of the negotiations around hemp.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)—a longstanding champion of cannabis reform who previously blocked a hemp ban from being included in an agriculture appropriations bill passed by the Senate earlier this year—is circulating legislative language, obtained by Marijuana Moment, that he’s asking to be adopted as part of the final package.

It would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study “best practices” for regulating intoxicating cannabinoid products and submit a report on its findings to Congress.

Here’s the full language: 

“SEC.____. STUDY ON HEMP BEST PRACTICES.

Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with States, shall conduct, and submit to Congress a report on the results of, a study on best practices of States relating to regulation of hemp-derived products for home and personal use.”

Marijuana Moment reached out to Paul’s office for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

The agriculture appropriations measure the Senate passed as part of a package over the summer initially contained provisions hemp industry stakeholders said would effectively eradicate the market by banning consumable hemp products with any “quantifiable” amount of THC. But after the measure came out of committee, Paul threatened to hold up its passage over the issue, and the language was removed.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who ushered in the federal legalization of hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill, championed the THC criminalization language and took to the floor to criticize those who opposed the ban, including Paul.

McConnell isn’t the only one vying for a renewed prohibition. A group of state attorneys general is circulating a draft letter addressed to GOP leaders in the House and Senate Appropriations and Agriculture committees that calls for the inclusion of the ban because, they say, the currently Farm Bill “wrongly exploited by bad actors to sell recreational synthetic THC products across the country.”

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The draft document omits the names of the signatories, but the content cites data from Indiana—and the Republican state attorney general there, Todd Rokita, previously led a separate letter with 20 of his counterparts from other states urging Congress to take action on intoxicating cannabinoid products.

“We ask that Congress clarify the federal definition of hemp during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process or through the reauthorization of the Farm Bill to leave no doubt that these harmful products are illegal and that their sale and manufacture are criminal acts,” the new draft letter, obtained by Marijuana Moment, says.

Hemp industry stakeholders “have nefariously misinterpreted the Farm Bill’s legalization of low concentrations of hemp-derived delta-9 and the Bill’s silence regarding hemp-derived THC products other than delta-9 to claim that the Farm Bill allows them to produce and sell various synthetic cannabinoids regardless of the chemicals’ potency and psychoactive effects,” it says. “In this way, legal, nonintoxicating hemp is used to make Frankenstein THC products that get adults high and harm and even kill children.”

“We commend your commitment to American farmers and your work to create an orderly and well-regulated market for industrial hemp and non-intoxicating hemp-derived products. You should not allow irresponsible corporations to take advantage of your good work to purvey dangerous products in our States. We ask Congress to act decisively to clarify the Farm Bill’s definition of hemp to ensure intoxicating THC products are taken off the market.”

Rokita’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Marijuana Moment.

The House agriculture spending bill, as approved by the Appropriations Committee, included provisions banning consumable hemp products with any “quantifiable” amount of THC, though it has not been taken up on the floor.

Hemp stakeholders are unsure where the issue will land as lawmakers attempt to finalize appropriations legislation, but they’re calling on supporters to contact their representatives and make their opposition to a blanket ban clear.

“The truth is that no one really knows what any final draft would look like, and it is equally uncertain as to whether a minibus itself will see the light of day,” the U.S. Hemp Roundtable said in an email blast.

“If you have not yet alerted your customers, associates, friends and social media contacts that the prospects of a hemp ban are real, NOW IS THE TIME,” it says. “We have an opportunity to kill this, but we are running out of time.”

Meanwhile, Paul recently filed a standalone bill that would go in the opposite direction of the hemp ban, proposing to triple the concentration of THC that the crop could legally contain, while addressing multiple other concerns the industry has expressed about federal regulations.

The senator introduced the legislation, titled the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act, in June. It mirrors versions he’s sponsored over the last several sessions.

Read the text of the state attorneys general draft letter on hemp below: 

Photo courtesy of Brendan Cleak.

Happy International Champagne Day — discover fun facts, history, and expert tips to drink it right.

Not matter what you think of the state of the world, there is a reason to celebrate – Happy International Champagne Day! Today, champagne lovers around the world are raising a glass. The the annual celebration of the world’s most iconic sparkling wine — and a perfect excuse to toast life’s bright spots, big and small.

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International Champagne Day falls every year on the fourth Friday in October. The celebration started in 2009 when wine educator Chris Oggenfuss launched a simple online campaign encouraging champagne fans to connect and share their love for the drink. The idea fizzed — literally — and quickly grew into global tastings, parties and social media cheers from New York to Nice.

But the story of champagne stretches back much further. Bubbles first appeared in French wine cellars during the 1500s, when monks in Limoux noticed a naturally sparkling wine forming in barrels. By the 17th century, the vineyards of Champagne, France had perfected the art — though early winemakers considered those bubbles a mistake. Thankfully, the world disagreed.

From royal coronations in Reims to red-carpet movie premieres, champagne has long been synonymous with success. By the 1800s, French houses like Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot turned sparkling wine into a global luxury symbol — one standing for joy, elegance, and a little bit of rebellion.

Marketers helped, too. The 20th century saw champagne splashed across everything from Formula 1 podiums to wedding receptions, cementing its reputation as the go-to drink for life’s milestones.

If you’re celebrating today, serve your champagne right:

• Chill, don’t freeze. The sweet spot is 45–50°F — cold enough to keep the bubbles fine and lively.
• Ditch the flute. Experts now favor tulip-shaped glasses which capture aroma while keeping the fizz.
• Ease, don’t pop. Gently twist the bottle (not the cork) until it sighs, not explodes.
• Sip soon. Once opened, champagne loses its sparkle quickly — a good reminder to savor the moment.

And yes, it pairs with more than caviar. Try it with salty chips, sushi, or even fried chicken — the crisp acidity cuts through rich flavors perfectly.

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You smoke weed in front of the cops, get free munchies, and a ride home. Not a dream, no. It’s the new Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) program, as part of the Maryland Highway Safety Office’s Zero Deaths DUI Conference, held in partnership with Cannabis Green Lab. And it’s happening on Sunday, October 26, from noon to 4 p.m.

In Ocean City, Maryland, the police department put out a call for volunteers to light up and drive for training purposes, and quickly received an “overwhelming” number of volunteers, according to the OCPD post. All in the name of science, education and, probably, free lunch (they did have to bring their own stash, but still, not a bad deal.)

The OCPD was only looking for 12 to 14 adults over 21 years old to “smoke cannabis for educational purposes while officers learn to recognize cannabis impairment,” but the post went viral within hours, forcing them to close the call, according to Marijuana Moment.

And because it sounded so good, the 12–14 spots turned into a flood of applications, hundreds of people reportedly signing up within seven hours.

Training cops to read the high, not just smell it

The initiative is part of the Maryland’s Zero Deaths DUI Conference, in partnership with Cannabis Green Lab. The Green Lab, says OCPD, “helps both officers and participants better understand the effects and levels of impairment caused by cannabis, all in a safe, controlled setting.”

Participants have to bring their own weed, consume it before the driving exercises, and then get a free lunch, “courtesy of MHSO,” clarified the department. To keep things above board, a shuttle service was arranged to take volunteers home once the session and the meal were over, since no, you can’t drive high, not even in states where smoking is legal.

“We’ll have about 40 student officers participating, so it’s a great way to help train the next generation of law enforcement safely and responsibly,” the department said.

This training comes after a crucial legal shift in Maryland. Following adult-use legalization, Governor Wes Moore (D) allowed a bill to become law prohibiting police from using the smell or simple possession of cannabis as grounds for a search. And earlier this year, Montgomery County also began relaxing cannabis policies for would-be officers to boost recruitment; another sign that, even inside the force, times are changing.

That means law enforcement can no longer rely on the ‘odor test’—a sniff and a hunch, basically—to justify arrests or searches. The Green Lab training program seeks to update that outdated logic with actual observation and data, bridging the gap between legalization and enforcement.

It’s rare to see the words ‘police’, ‘weed’, and ‘free lunch’ in the same sentence, and rarer still for it to be entirely legal. But that’s Maryland’s new reality: a state trying to redefine what responsible cannabis use—and enforcement—looks like. And as Governor Moore himself once admitted, even his historic win couldn’t top the people’s will: “There was one thing that beat me on the ballot: marijuana legalization.”