What The Lawyers Say

Cannabis law explained by the lawyers who practise it: analysis and commentary from law firms around the world, with the Cannabis Law Journal.

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Stinson LLP

A Federal Hemp Ban Could Leave Brewery Lenders with the Tab

C. § 1639o. 5–10 mg levels in virtually all commercial hemp beverages today. , delta-8 derived from CBD). The effective date of the change is December 11, 2026.

5 Oct 2026

• Hemp
• Beverages
• Legislation
• Minnesota, US
• Ohio, US
• Tennessee, US

Whitt Steineker, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

30 Days on the Clock: What the Federal Hemp “Ban” Delay Really Means for the Industry

In the iconic halftime scene of Friday Night Lights, Coach Gary Gaines (played with a charming ferocity the way only Billy Bob Thornton could muster) looks his team in the eyes and tells them they have exactly “two more quarters…

5 Oct 2026

• Hemp
• Regulation
• Pharmaceuticals and the FDA
• Texas, US

Sydney Criminal Lawyers

NSW Legislates Medicinal Cannabis Driving Defence, as Queensland Implements Zero Tolerance

In terms of drug driving laws, the New South Wales government is now centre stage due to its proposed and enlightened reforms that seek to ensure users of legal medicinal cannabis aren’t disqualified from driving for simply…

2 Sept 2026

• Medical cannabis
• Impaired driving
• Legislation
• Australia

Rod Kight, Kight Law

The Lawful Hemp Protection Act Is a Lifeline, But It Leaves THCA Flower Behind

Congress finally has a serious bipartisan alternative to the federal hemp ban scheduled to take effect this November.

13 Aug 2026

• Hemp
• Hemp-derived THC
• Federal policy
• United States

Rod Kight, Kight Law

Minnesota Just Gave Hemp Operators a Better Path Forward

With SF 4401, the state did not leave the hemp industry stranded while the broader cannabis market moves on. It did not wall off hemp operators and tell them to fend for themselves.

20 Jul 2026

• Hemp
• Licensing
• Testing and product safety
• Minnesota, US

Vicente LLP

Landmark Colorado Bill Introduced to Modernize Colorado THC Drinks Sales

Bill to produce an estimated $55 million in new revenue for the state by regulating low-dose THC beverages like alcohol in bars and other licensed venues.

5 May 2026

• Beverages
• Hemp
• Regulation
• Colorado, US
• Minnesota, US

Clark Hill

A Billion-Dollar Trade on the Brink: How to Save the Hemp Beverage Industry

Few industries in recent American history have climbed so fast or stand to fall so hard. 375 billion in annual sales by 2025. Craft breweries, alcohol veterans, and cannabis entrepreneurs bet big on a category that consumers…

5 May 2026

• Hemp
• Beverages
• Retail and dispensaries
• United States

Jackson Lewis

Ohio Recriminalizes Certain Intoxicating Hemp Beverages, But Employer Testing Policies Can Hold Steady

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed, but partially vetoed, a bill (S.B. 56) that effectively recriminalizes certain intoxicating hemp beverages as of March 20, 2026. Specifically, hemp beverages may no longer contain more than .3% of…

6 Apr 2026

• Hemp
• Hemp-derived THC
• Employment law
• Ohio, US

Vicente LLP

The Evolution of New Jersey’s Cannabis and Hemp Industries in 2026

New Jersey’s cannabis and hemp industries are evolving significantly in 2026. L. 2025 c. 325), several major shifts are impacting the cannabis and hemp landscape for operators and consumers in New Jersey.

3 Mar 2026

• Hemp
• Retail and dispensaries
• Licensing
• New Jersey, US

Amber Lengacher, Kight Law

New Jersey Neuters Its Hemp Industry With New Law

For all of you watching the situation in New Jersey, we’ve covered an important update below: the signage of S4509 on January 12, 2026. Here’s a little background for those who need to catch up:

4 Feb 2026

• Hemp
• Hemp-derived THC
• Licensing
• New Jersey, US

Rod Kight and Amber Lengacher, Kight Law

Hemp Updates for Minnesota, Connecticut, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas

We’ve recently covered changes in coming to hemp programs in the new year in Oregon, Alabama, and California. Below we touch on other updates for Minnesota, Connecticut, Kentucky, and more.

5 Jan 2026

• Hemp
• Beverages
• Licensing
• Minnesota, US
• Kentucky, US
• Connecticut, US

Husch Blackwell

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Regulate Hemp Products Ahead of an Impending Ban

In our previous legal update last month, we outlined language included in one of the appropriations bills which was passed in connection with ending the historic government shutdown.

5 Jan 2026

• Hemp
• Regulation
• Packaging and labelling

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

How Hemp Retailers Can Comply with Alabama’s Consumable Hemp Law by January 1, 2026

Brock Trulove is an associate in the firm’s Banking & Financial Services Practice Group.

5 Dec 2025

• Hemp
• Retail and dispensaries
• Packaging and labelling
• Alabama, US

Amber Lengacher, Kight Law

Tennessee Reaches Agreement on Hemp Product Regulations During Transition

Hemp industry advocates (TN Healthy Alternatives Association) and the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) have reached an agreement to clarify rules for hemp-derived cannabinoid product (HDCP) businesses as new state…

17 Nov 2025

• Hemp
• Contracts
• Licensing
• Tennessee, US

Elijah Hartman, Harris Sliwoski

Cannabis Branding and Trademark Protection

This would be a good time to review the branding protection avenues available to cannabis business owners, and to discuss celebrity branding.

3 Jul 2025

• Intellectual property
• Federal policy
• Beverages
• United States

Amber Lengacher @ Rod Kight

Hemp Law Updates – Big Changes in Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Kentucky

Editor’s note – This article was written by Kight Law attorney Amber Lengacher. Hemp Law Changes and Upcoming Deadlines If you are new to cannabis or hemp, you may be overwhelmed by the headlines recently.

5 Jun 2025

• Hemp
• Beverages
• Licensing
• Minnesota, US
• Tennessee, US
• Kentucky, US

Foley Hoag

Proposed Bill from Joint Cannabis Committee Would Adopt Meaningful Reforms to Struggling Mass. Cannabis Industry

Nearly nine years after voters authorized the regulated sale of adult use cannabis in Massachusetts, the Joint Cannabis Committee is addressing the challenges (and that’s an understatement) the industry is facing with a very…

5 Jun 2025

• Licensing
• Hemp
• Beverages
• Massachusetts, US

Husch Blackwell

Is Alcohol-Style Federal Regulation Coming for THC Beverages?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that “THC beverages” derived from hemp have exploded across America (at least in states where they are allowed by law).

5 Jun 2025

• Beverages
• Regulation
• Hemp
• United States

Vicente LLP

Frequently Asked Questions About Hemp Beverages: How Federal and State Laws Are Reshaping the THC Drink Market

There is no universal definition, but generally, a hemp beverage is any drink, typically a seltzer, soda, or mocktail, containing hemp-derived cannabinoids or terpenes. Common cannabinoids in these beverages include CBD and THC,…

5 Jun 2025

• Hemp
• Beverages
• Hemp-derived THC
• Minnesota, US
• Texas, US
• Kentucky, US

Husch Blackwell

Is Alcohol-Style Federal Regulation Coming for THC Beverages?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that “THC beverages” derived from hemp have exploded across America (at least in states where they are allowed by law).

5 May 2025

• Beverages
• Regulation
• Hemp
• United States

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