The Hemp Industry Just Got Hit, and We Have Days to Respond

Congress Just Banned Most Hemp Products Federally, but the Fight is Not Over.

Something big just happened in Congress. Lawmakers slipped new language into a federal spending bill that could ban most hemp-derived products—the very products that built the modern hemp economy, like Delta-8 and Delta-9 gummies, vapes, and infused drinks.

This wasn’t a full debate, and it didn’t come through the Farm Bill as expected. It was added quietly, inside an appropriations package moved through congress. As of November 12th, we have 365 days to try to carve out fair regulations before this becomes law. 

As of now, many hemp products would be illegal and need to be pulled from store shelves and online markets within one year. The damage to small businesses could be immediate.

This is the moment to act.

Lawmakers need to hear from the people who built this industry and the consumers who rely on it every day. We have one year to shape fair, science-based rules before decisions are locked in behind closed doors. Staying quiet now means letting others define the future of hemp for us.

What They’re Calling It

Lawmakers are framing the move as a “public safety fix.” They say intoxicating hemp cannabinoids entered the market without enough oversight. But what this bill actually does is redefine hemp so broadly that nearly every product containing THC no matter how mild or compliant would be treated like marijuana.

That’s not regulation. That’s prohibition dressed up as reform.

What’s at Stake

For consumers, this would mean losing access to legal, safe hemp products that millions of adults already use for relief, relaxation, or wellness. These products are tested, labeled, and taxed today. Under the new rules, they’d disappear.

For farmers and small businesses, this would hit like a storm. Growers, extractors, retailers, and distributors who built their livelihoods on hemp could see their entire business models outlawed overnight. States like Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina could lose hundreds of millions in revenue and thousands of jobs.

For responsible brands, this fight is especially painful. The companies doing things right, those investing in compliance systems, consumer safety testing, and real scientific research, are being lumped in with bad actors who cut corners. These legitimate businesses are proving that hemp can be safe, transparent, and adult-focused. Yet their customer success stories are being drowned out by headlines calling hemp “synthetic” or “dangerous,” often because a handful of irresponsible sellers targeted minors. The current federal proposal doesn’t fix that problem, it just wipes the entire playing field clean.

What’s Really Happening in the Bill

Here’s the short version:

• The Senate’s new spending package that would open the government included a few lines that bans “intoxicating hemp products”.
  
• Farmers could grow hemp, but few would be allowed to sell it in the forms people actually buy.
• In other words, hemp stays legal on paper but illegal in practice.

How Fast It’s Moving

This isn’t a drill. The Senate has already advanced the bill. The House could take it up within weeks, and if it passes there, the President could sign it before the end of the year.

AHAA’s Message to Congress

AHAA represents small business owners, farmers, scientists, and consumers who believe in safe access and fair regulation.

• We support safety and standards, but not bans. Testing, labeling, and age limits make sense. Outright prohibition does not.
• We want fairness. If marijuana companies get clear federal rules, hemp companies deserve the same.
• We want a voice. These changes should be debated in the open, not buried in budget bills.
• What You Can Do Right Now

Time is short, but we can still stop this.

If you own a hemp business:

Contact your Senators and Representatives today. Tell them to remove the “intoxicating hemp” ban from the spending bill.

Share your story—how your business supports jobs, farmers, and local communities.

If you’re a consumer:

Call your lawmakers’ offices and tell them you oppose blanket bans on hemp products.

Remind them that safe, tested hemp products are already regulated at the state level—and that prohibition only drives people to the black market.

Sample Call Script:
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I live in [Your City, State]. I’m calling to urge [Senator/Representative Name] to oppose any federal spending bill that bans hemp-derived products. I support fair regulation, not prohibition. Please protect small businesses and consumer choice.”

The Bottom Line

This is the most serious federal threat to hemp since the 2018 Farm Bill passed. If Congress doesn’t hear from us now, the decision will be made without us.

AHAA is mobilizing every voice we can reach—farmers, shop owners, consumers, and state leaders—to protect hemp’s future. We’ve proven this industry can be safe, transparent, and responsible. Now we need to prove we can fight for it.

Join AHAA’s Hemp Action Network today. Together, we can keep hemp legal, regulated, and American.