Hemp industry influence helps secure delay of intoxicating product ban

In a bid to prevent a government shutdown, lawmakers slipped a postponement of the November 12 ban on intoxicating hemp items into a temporary spending bill. The delay, which would extend the ban’s effective date to December 11, aligns with the interests of a hemp company led by Bret Worley, who recently married Susie Wiles' daughter at the Trump Winery. Critics, such as drug-policy expert Kevin Sabet, describe the move as a pay-to-play outcome of lobbying, while the White House maintains the change protects fair market treatment.

The provision has sparked opposition from at least eight Republican senators, with Ted Budd announcing plans for an amendment to strip it out, warning that the delay could jeopardize public safety. The industry celebrates the shift as a step toward broader legalization, even as the ban targets a multibillion-dollar market of THC-containing beverages, gummies, cookies and vapes.