Good Bill Filed to Prohibit Drugs Made From Hemp
A good bill filed at the Arkansas Legislature last week would prohibit the sale of THC and other dangerous drugs made from hemp.
In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp — or cannabis — in America.
The goal was to make it possible for farmers to grow cannabis that is low in THC — the main drug in marijuana — for use in textiles like rope or cloth.
But manufacturers have found ways to extract and refine the little bit of THC in industrial hemp. 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 2023, Arkansas passed Act 629 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) prohibiting THC and other drugs made from industrial hemp. The law also contains a regulatory framework for hemp products if its THC ban is struck down in court.
Unfortunately, Act 629 has been tied up in federal court for quite some time. Attorneys expect a ruling in the case soon, but lawmakers have expressed serious concerns about waiting for a court decision.
Last week Sen. Dees and Rep. Gazaway filed S.B. 533. This good bill prohibits intoxicating hemp products that contain THC and other drugs in Arkansas.
The bill effectively prohibits THC and other drugs made from hemp from being put into food or drinks sold in the state.
S.B. 533 also contains provisions to ensure other hemp products like CBD oil and cosmetics do not contain dangerous drugs.
Nationwide, policymakers are taking steps to protect people from THC made from hemp.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that federal law prohibits the addition of hemp-derived THC in food.
Lawmakers and public health officials in several states — including South Dakota, California, and Massachusetts — have successfully prohibited THC made from hemp.
S.B. 533 is a good bill that will help protect Arkansans from dangerous drugs the same way these states have done.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
Bad Bill Would Legalize Internet Gambling in Arkansas
A bad bill filed at the Arkansas Legislature last week would legalize internet gambling in Arkansas.
Under current law, gambling is allowed at three casinos in the state — Oaklawn, Southland, and Saracen — and sports betting is allowed online via smart phones.
H.B. 1861 by Rep. Matt Duffield (R — Russellville) and Sen. David Wallace (R — Leachville) lets casinos licensed in Arkansas offer additional forms of gambling online.
The bill would legalize mobile gambling via smart phones from anywhere in Arkansas.
Family Council opposes gambling — but online gambling is a particularly serious problem.
Compulsive gamblers could gamble — and lose — 24 hours a day from anywhere in the state. That kind of gambling ruins lives, tears families apart, and hurts communities.
We already have seen how gambling addiction has become a serious problem. Last year the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced it has seen a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling — driven largely by sports betting.
Legalizing other types of online gambling would simply make these problems worse.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.