Arkansas Senate Passes Good Bill Prohibiting Drugs Made From Hemp

Marijuana, ,

On Thursday the state senate passed a good bill to protect Arkansans from dangerous drugs — like THC — made from hemp.

THC is the main psychoactive drug in marijuana.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp — or cannabis — that is low in THC. The goal was to let farmers grow cannabis plants 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 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 ever since.

This year Sen. Dees and Rep. Gazaway filed S.B. 533 to address the issues raised in the lawsuit over Act 629.

S.B. 533 is a good bill that would help prohibit intoxicating hemp products that contain THC and other drugs in Arkansas.

The bill effectively stops THC and other drugs made from hemp from being put into food or drinks sold in the state.

It also contains provisions to ensure other hemp products — like CBD oil or cosmetics — do not contain dangerous drugs or other contaminants.

On Thursday, the Arkansas Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass S.B. 533. The bill now goes to the Arkansas House of Representatives.

The Following Senators Voted For S.B. 533

  • J. Boyd
  • Caldwell
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Payton
  • J. Petty
  • Rice
  • J. Scott
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Sullivan

The Following Senators Voted “Present”

  • J. Bryant
  • J. Dotson
  • G. Leding
  • M. McKee
  • C. Penzo
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Were Excused From Voting

  • S. Flowers
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senator Did Not Vote

  • B. King

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

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Arkansas House Passes Bad Bill Legalizing Marijuana Deliveries

Marijuana,

On Wednesday the Arkansas House of Representatives narrowly passed a bad bill that would let “medical” marijuana dispensaries deliver marijuana to patients and caregivers in Arkansas.

In 2016, Arkansas enacted an amendment permitting “medical” marijuana in the state. At the time, we said that people would use marijuana recreationally under the amendment — and there is evidence showing that is happening.

H.B. 1889 by Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R — Knoxville) and Sen. Joshua Bryant (R — Rogers) would let marijuana dispensaries in Arkansas deliver marijuana directly to patients and caregivers.

Under current law, marijuana is processed and delivered to dispensaries that are authorized to sell marijuana.

H.B. 1889 would let dispensaries use delivery vehicles to deliver marijuana to people rather than requiring people to come to the dispensary.

Letting marijuana dispensaries deliver marijuana to people serves no legitimate purpose, and it undermines regulations on “medical” marijuana.

The Arkansas Constitution already lets “designated caregivers” deliver marijuana to patients who are authorized to use it. That provision was written into the medical marijuana amendment to assist patients who can’t go to the dispensary.

Since designated caregivers are already able to deliver “medical” marijuana to patients, the deliveries legalized under H.B. 1889 are unnecessary.

Marijuana deliveries like the ones allowed under H.B. 1889 make it easier for “medical” marijuana to be moved to the black market or fall into the hands of people who are not authorized to use “medical” marijuana — including children.

States around the country have continued to encounter serious problems with marijuana trafficked illegally on the black market. Despite some provisions in H.B. 1889, the bill simply does not provide the kind of oversight necessary to keep that from happening in Arkansas.

You Can Read H.B. 1889 Here.

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

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Senate Committee Passes Good Bill Prohibiting Drugs Made From Hemp

Marijuana, ,

On Tuesday the Senate Agriculture Committee passed a good bill prohibiting dangerous drugs like THC made from hemp.

THC is the main psychoactive drug found in marijuana.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp — or cannabis — that is low in THC. The goal was to make it possible for farmers to grow cannabis plants 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.

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 the addition of hemp-derived THC in food products.

The Massachusetts Department of Health has prohibited the sale of food or drinks containing THC made from hemp.

South Dakota recently passed a law prohibiting the sale of products containing THC made from hemp.

And California has issued executive rules prohibiting food and drinks 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 ever since.

In March, Sen. Dees and Rep. Gazaway filed S.B. 533 to address the issues raised in the lawsuit over Act 629.

S.B. 533 is a good bill that would help prohibit intoxicating hemp products that contain THC and other drugs in Arkansas.

The bill effectively stops THC and other drugs made from hemp from being put into food or drinks sold in the state.

It also contains provisions to ensure other hemp products — like CBD oil or cosmetics — do not contain dangerous drugs or other contaminants.

On Tuesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed S.B. 533 to prohibit drugs made from hemp.

This good bill now goes to the entire Arkansas Senate for consideration.

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

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