National Consumers League Calls on Congress to Establish a Robust Regulatory System for Hemp-derived Beverages Before Extending Hemp Deadline
Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829
Washington, DC – A provision in the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the controlled substances list, creating a loophole in federal law that allowed the hemp industry to build a billion-dollar empire where manufacturers extract and concentrate intoxicating cannabinoids from hemp and market them in gummies, vapes, beverages, and other products. Using an addiction-for-profit model, these products are packaged with bright colors and candy-like branding that appeal to minors. Today, the $28 billion industry is enticing vulnerable teens and young adults with THC-infused beverages, edibles and other intoxicating items that they mistakenly view as safe because the products are sold widely in gas stations and convenience stores.
Recognizing the danger, Congress closed the hemp loophole in the November 2025 appropriations bill by setting a deadline for production of these products of November 17, 2026. It recently extended the deadline to December 11, 2026.
Congress should do nothing to alter the closure of the hemp loophole that was enacted in 2025 and is now effective December 11, 2026, unless and until a robust regulatory regime for hemp-derived products is put in place.
Especially as our work relates to the health and safety of children and adolescents, the National Consumers League is deeply concerned about the distinct risks that hemp products pose to teenagers and young adults whose developing brains are highly vulnerable to cannabinoids. As documented in the medical literature, adolescent cannabis use is a pressing public health concern, associated with adverse outcomes in brain development, mental health, and physical health including its effects on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems of body.
The consequences have been devastating. Not only are children and teenagers more vulnerable to the harmful effects of THC, but they are also more likely to consume these products accidentally and can develop dependence more quickly than adults. Thus, poison control centers, emergency departments, and addiction treatment providers have reported significant increases in cases involving hemp-derived THC exposure, including severe and sometimes life-threatening outcomes.
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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
