Key Takeaways From 8th Circuit Decision Letting Arkansas Prohibit Hemp

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Last week a three-judge panel from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision effectively letting Arkansas restrict dangerous drugs made from industrial hemp.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Farm Bill to let farmers grow cannabis plants low in THC for use in textiles like hemp rope or cloth.

THC is the main psychoactive substance in marijuana, and health experts warn the drug poses serious risks.

Instead of growing hemp for textiles, manufacturers have found ways to extract and refine the little bit of THC in the plants. Doing this on a commercial scale means they can produce a lot of THC to infuse into drinks, candies, e-cigarettes, and other products.

In response, many state and federal policymakers have pushed back against these dangerous drugs.

For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that federal law prohibits hemp-derived THC in food products.

Massachusetts, South Dakota, California, and many other states have successfully prohibited food, drinks, and other products that contain THC made from hemp.

In 2023, Arkansas passed Act 629 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) to prohibit THC made from industrial hemp. Family Council supported that good law, and the legislature voted to pass it.

However, members of the hemp industry filed a lawsuit against Act 629, and the law has been tied up in federal court — that is, until last week.

The court ruled that the federal Farm Bill does not force Arkansas to legalize drugs made from hemp, noting:

The text of the 2018 Farm Bill shows only that Congress wanted to facilitate state legalization of hemp, if a state wants to. Congress allows states to legalize hemp by removing the biggest hurdle—federal criminalization. . . . Instead, just because states may legalize hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill does not mean they must.

The ruling overturned a lower court decision that blocked Act 629 — which means Arkansas will be able to enforce this good law.

In a statement, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin called the decision “a win for common sense and the rule of law.” We could not agree more.

Family Council fully supported Act 629 in 2023. For the past two years, we have said that Act 629 is a good law and that our federal courts ultimately would let the state enforce it. Last week’s victory at the Eighth Circuit was exactly the decision we have expected.

We appreciate Arkansas’s lawmakers passing Act 629, and we appreciate Attorney General Tim Griffin’s commitment to defending this good law in court.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Marijuana Use Doubles Risk of Death From Heart Disease: Study

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A study published the journal Heart last week shows marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.

Researchers analyzed data from multiple studies involving a total of 200 million people — most of whom were between 19 and 59 years old.

The results showed marijuana users face a 20% higher risk of stroke, a 29% higher risk of heart attack, and a staggering 200% higher risk of “cardiovascular death.”

In a separate column, Heart’s editors said it is time to treat marijuana like an important factor for cardiovascular disease, writing,

Cannabis use, like tobacco and alcohol use, should be assessed in all patients. At least in the USA, health professionals are the most influential source of cannabis information regardless of patient age, cannabis use or state legal status, making it important for clinicians to ask about use, educate all patients about cannabis risks and take cannabis use into account in clinical decision making.

We have written for years how THC — the main psychoactive substance in marijuana — has been tied to everything from heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.

Public health data across America has shown marijuana products routinely send kids to the emergency room and prompt parents to call poison control centers.

And marijuana’s legalization in many states has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal marijuana across America.

All of this underscores what we have always said: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Health Experts Push Back on Marijuana ‘Treatment’ for Autism

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Despite a lack of clear, scientific evidence, some parents reportedly are turning to marijuana to treat autism in children.

The Wall Street Journal writes,

While medical marijuana is prescribed for everything from cancer symptoms to epilepsy to chronic pain and even dementia, its use in children with autism is more controversial.

After all, we know regular use of THC in adolescents can negatively impact their developing brains and lead to a higher risk of mental-health problems.

THC — the main psychoactive substance in marijuana — has been tied to everything from heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.

The Wall Street Journal notes that the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry actually warns against using marijuana to treat autism in children, and The Autism Science Foundation says parents should be “very cautious” about giving THC to kids.

Food, drinks, and other products laced with THC often mimic popular candies that appeal to children, but their high concentrations of THC make these products dangerous.

For years now, public health data across America has shown marijuana products are sending kids to the emergency room and prompting parents to call poison control centers.

This year, multiple bills legalizing THC-infused food and drinks were filed at the Arkansas Legislature. Fortunately, none of those bills passed, and lawmakers actually enacted a measure to prohibit THC in Arkansas.

All of this simply underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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