The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has released its Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill, which includes a significant provision redefining hemp and hemp products. This change aims to close existing loopholes and impose a ban on intoxicating hemp products nationwide if enacted into law.
The bill explicitly excludes consumable hemp products containing any detectable levels of THC or synthesized THC isomers from the legal definition of hemp. However, it maintains protections for “industrial hemp” grown for fiber, non-cannabinoid parts of the plant, and research purposes.
In a statement, the Republican-led House Committee emphasized that the language addresses the rapid spread of unregulated intoxicating hemp products, such as delta-8 THC and hemp flower, sold online and in retail outlets nationwide. The current federal definition of hemp, established under the 2018 Farm Bill, only limits delta-9 THC levels and does not cover other psychoactive THC isomers derived from hemp.
This legislative effort follows a similar amendment introduced last year by Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.), who credited the nonprofit Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) for highlighting the public health concerns related to hemp-derived intoxicants. Rep. Miller expressed concern over the deceptive marketing of THC-infused products, particularly those targeted toward children.
Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of SAM, applauded the House Committee’s decision, calling it “a crucial victory in the long fight to ban hemp intoxicants,” and noted the importance of protecting children from access to THC-laced products.
Conversely, Jonathan Miller, General Counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, criticized the proposed policy as a “farmer-crushing, job-killing hemp ban” that threatens a burgeoning industry supporting millions of consumers and generating billions in revenue and tax dollars.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration will review the bill this Thursday, with a full committee markup scheduled for June 11.
