Federal Proposal Would Close Illegal Hemp Loophole

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A new proposal reportedly would close the federal loophole responsible for the expansion of dangerous hemp products.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act 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.

Last week a U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee advanced a spending bill that would tighten down on these dangerous products. The legislation is the first meaningful restriction on hemp products in Congress in nearly a decade.

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As we have pointed out, drinks with as much THC as recreational marijuana products have raised serious public health and safety concerns.

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.

This year, multiple bills legalizing THC-infused drinks were filed at the Arkansas Legislature. Fortunately, none of those bad bills passed, and lawmakers enacted good legislation to help further protect Arkansans from these drugs.

We appreciate Arkansas’ policymakers taking this issue seriously, and we hope Congress will take action to close the loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill and restrict these dangerous drugs.

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

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Nebraska Passes Law Similar to Arkansas’ Protecting Women’s Sports

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On May 29, Nebraska’s legislature passed L.B. 89 protecting fairness in women’s sports. The law is similar to a measure Arkansas passed in 2021. It generally prevents biological males from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school.

Our friends at The Washington Stand write,

Since 2008, SheWon.org has catalogued 2,242 female athletes losing out on 3,126 medals to males in 1,311 competitions in 46 sports. The website has tracked almost 900 first place finishes in women’s competitions that have been claimed by males who identify as transgender.

As the trend of males being allowed to compete against females has grown, the number of injuries sustained by women and girls while competing against males has also grown accordingly. Recent examples include a field hockey player and multiple basketball players in Massachusetts, a volleyball player in North Carolina, dozens of players in an Australian soccer league, and more.

We have written repeatedly about how women’s athletics is in jeopardy.

Female swimmers, powerlifters, cyclists, sprinters, volleyball players, and others have seen their sports radically changed by men who claim to be women.

Letting men compete in women’s sports is unfair and reverses more than 50 years of advancements for women. In some cases, as The Washington Stand notes, it can even be dangerous.

That’s why it is so important that Arkansas passed Act 461 in 2021 to prevent male athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school.

This good law was one of the first of its kind in the nation. To date, some 29 states have passed similar measures protecting fairness in women’s sports.

It’s also worth noting that pollsters at Gallup have found most Americans agree that athletes should compete according to their biological sex — not their gender identity.

We appreciate our lawmakers who work hard to protect fairness in women’s sports both in Arkansas and across the country.

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

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Arkansas “Medical” Marijuana Sales Hit New Highs

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News outlets report that “medical” marijuana dispensaries in Arkansas sold nearly one and a half tons more marijuana during the first five months of 2025 than during the same time period in 2024.

Data from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration shows dispensaries are on track to sell record amounts of “medical” marijuana this year. Overall, Arkansans are spending more than $800,000 per day on marijuana, on average.

We said in 2016 that “medical” marijuana would give people an opportunity to use it recreationally — and there is plenty of evidence showing that has been the case.

The truth is all marijuana is harmful — whether it is marketed as “medical” marijuana or “recreational” marijuana.

Marijuana has been tied to a number of deadly heart problems — including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

Experts have found heavy marijuana users face higher risks of paranoia, memory loss, schizophrenia, and other serious problems.

Marijuana use during pregnancy also has been shown time and time again to hurt unborn children and newborns.

Nationwide, marijuana products are sending kids to the emergency room.

And instead of decreasing crime, marijuana legalization has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal marijuana across America over the past decade.

The tax revenue that states receive from marijuana sales does not justify the damage that marijuana causes.

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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