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Georgia lawmakers weigh ban on synthetic hemp
Georgia state lawmakers face a final deadline to decide on a bill that could ban synthetic hemp products, sparking a divide between safety concerns and business survival.
ATLANTA - State legislators are racing against the clock to close out the current session.
With the state budget and property tax reforms still in limbo, all eyes are also on a pivotal bill that could trigger a total ban on synthetic hemp products.
What we know:
Right now, several proposals involving hemp or cannabis are advancing through the state house, including measures that would expand who qualifies for medical cannabis, lift limits on THC concentrations and one that would ban all synthetic hemp products.
The Georgia House passed the synthetic hemp bill just days before the end of this year’s legislative session.
What they're saying:
Andre Rivers owns Hydropops, a café and store in Little Five Points that sells a variety of items, including hemp products. "Hemp gummies, hemp drinks. We sell synthetic hemp, HHC," Rivers said.
Synthetic hemp accounts for at least one-fifth of his business. "It’s a popular product among patients, and they need their medicine," Rivers said.
Rivers says a potential ban on synthetic hemp products would hurt customers who need synthetic hemp for therapeutic reasons. "Definitely against this bill, definitely against this bill," Rivers said. "It alienates my customers. They have to go on the internet and get it from sources that are not certified, or they can’t come to stores like mine and have a verification for that."
State Rep. Robert Dickey, R-Musella, says the measure would only apply to hemp products that cannot be grown naturally. And he says the legislation would regulate synthetic products that could be dangerous.
"It’s a first step to try to put some guardrails on all these products," said Dickey, who also chairs the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. "This is a stab at trying to get some of the worst products off the market."
Dig deeper:
Congress last year passed a measure to outlaw early all hemp-derived consumer products. The legislation bans products with more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. Rivers says the new state bill on top of that could force him to close up shop. "My revenue would be significantly cut," Rivers said. "The more restrictions, the more it hurts our bottom line."
Dickey says the bill would not put stores out of business.
What we don't know:
The proposed legislation is back in the Senate.
It has until the end of Thursday’s session to pass.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia General Assembly’s legislative database, an interview with a local business owner, and public statements from the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.