The US Senate has voted to delay the introduction of federal restrictions on sales of THC goods, including beverages.
Over the weekend, the Senate passed a funding bill which included a proposal to delay the federal ban on hemp to December, US Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar confirmed in a statement.
“The Senate has passed a bipartisan bill with a key provision based on my legislation to delay the ill-conceived federal hemp ban, which I opposed last year," she said.
The measure, revealed earlier this month by leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee, will keep federal agencies funded through to 11 December, beyond the 30 September close of the current fiscal year.
It will push back the pending restrictions planned on hemp products until 11 December, from the original 12 November deadline.
As well as delaying the restrictions on sales of THC goods, it "bans synthetic hemp derivatives", Klobuchar said.
In her statement, she also highlighted the Senate had rejected a bid to remove the deadline extension from the bill.
While passed by the Senate, the extension still requires approval from the House of Representatives.
The restrictions originate from a funding bill passed last year by the US Congress that tightened the legal definition of hemp.
Under the plans, sales would be prohibited for “hemp-derived cannabinoid products” containing more than 0.3% THC, as well as any “final” hemp-based cannabinoid products with more than 0.4mg of THC per container.
The measure would also ban “any other cannabinoids that have similar effects (or are marketed to have similar effects)”.
The US Hemp Roundtable has warned the clause in the spending bill could remove more than 95% of hemp-extracted products from the market.
Following the Senate's vote on Saturday (8 August), Christopher Lackner, founder and president of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, said: "This morning’s vote was a huge turning point in the pursuit of safe, responsible federal regulation."
He added: ”The next chapter begins today. The Hemp Beverage Alliance stands ready to work with Congress, the White House and stakeholders throughout the country to pass federal legislation that is strong, sensible, reliable, and prioritises public safety.”
Jake Bullock, the co-founder of THC drinks business Cann, also commented on the Senate vote over the weekend.
"This window will give us critical time to craft a longer-term - and, hopefully, permanent - regulatory framework for low-dose hemp beverages," he said on a post on LinkedIn.
"While the extension is not yet final, as it still must pass the House in September, it is a major sign of support and provides a way forward."
