11/17/2025

Congress Tightens THC Restrictions on Hemp

The restrictions close a farm bill loophole

Last week, Congress stiffened restrictions on hemp, a form of the cannabis plant that was legalized in the 2018 farm bill, in a provision tucked into the legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history of 43 days.

The restrictions triggered protests from producers who have come to rely on the multibillion-dollar industry as a source of income. They aim to close a loophole that let market players sell unregulated food and beverages containing hemp-derived psychoactive compounds. The rules set a stricter limit on the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the intoxicating chemical also found in marijuana, that a hemp product can contain.

Hemp was once on the federal controlled substances list, but it was legalized in the 2018 farm bill by lawmakers who touted the crop's potential to boost farmers' incomes. Hemp can be used to make products such as rope, clothing and food. The 2018 law was especially welcomed by Kentucky farmers, who hoped the commodity could offset losses from falling tobacco sales.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.