CBD Shops Protest Against Delaware's Attempt to Regulate THC-containing Gummies and Hemp Products
In Delaware, lawmakers are actively revising a bill aimed at regulating cannabinoids, particularly hemp products and low-THC products like CBD. The bill, intended to ensure consumer safety, has sparked a significant debate, particularly among CBD store owners.
During a recent legislative hearing, Representative Heffernan stated that the legal amount of THC is "below 0.3." However, Jena Murray, president of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, corrected this, stating it's actually 0.3%. The bill, as it stands, makes no distinction between products with THC below 0.3% and those with higher concentrations of the intoxicating compound.
Murray and others, including Zoe Patchell, head of the Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network, have expressed concerns that lawmakers don't seem to understand the distinctions between hemp products and cannabis. They argue that the bill goes too far and could severely harm legitimate hemp-based health and wellness businesses.
One store, Marley Smoke Shop, ran into a problem last year with products that exceeded the 0.3% THC limit. Manager Adam Alz stresses that he doesn't sell anything to someone under 21 years old and wants to stay on the right side of the law. However, Murray agrees that some stores selling hemp products are selling goods that contain higher levels of THC and calls them "the bad guys."
The regulatory effort comes as Delaware prepares to launch adult-use recreational cannabis sales on August 1, 2025, but only through existing medical marijuana dispensaries for now. This rollout does not yet include new recreational-only retailers, creating competitive challenges and concerns about fairness within the market.
CBD store owners like Michael Plump of Sunmed CBD in Delmar have testified that the proposed bill could devastate their businesses by restricting their ability to sell certain products that fall under the hemp and CBD category but might be impacted by the regulations.
State officials, including Secretary of Health and Social Services Dr. Kara Odom Walker, are pushing to remove dangerous, chemically altered products from the market. Hyland, who was consulted before the legislation was drafted but did not have a hand in writing it, agrees that if a health and wellness place wanted to sell full-spectrum CBD containing less than 0.3% of THC, it should not be a problem.
However, the bill stipulates that any "consumable hemp product" must be sold at a marijuana retail store. This could potentially force CBD stores like Botana Organics and Sunmed CBD to close or change their product offerings.
In light of these concerns, Murray and others are closely watching the legislation’s final form. While Delaware is moving forward with legal adult-use cannabis sales, the cannabinoid regulation bill is still evolving to balance consumer safety and the interests of existing CBD retailers.
- The cannabinoid regulation bill in Delaware may impact the health-and-wellness sector, particularly CBD stores, as it proposes to regulate the sale of certain hemp and CBD products at marijuana retail stores.
- The bill has sparked concerns among CBD store owners, such as Michael Plump of Sunmed CBD in Delmar, who testified that the proposed regulations could devastate their businesses by restricting the sale of certain products.
- The bill's objective is to ensure consumer safety by removing dangerous, chemically altered products from the market, but it has raised questions about the distinctions between hemp products and cannabis, potentially causing harm to legitimate health-and-wellness businesses that rely on supplements like CBD.
