Copyright virginislandsdailynews
U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announced Tuesday that he has joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general across the nation urging Congress to clarify the definition of “hemp.” Rhea said that the top lawyers, citing a threat to public safety and health, found the clarification necessary as “bad actors have exploited” the product due to a perceived loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill. The coalition called for immediate action to clarify the federal definition of hemp and prevent the continued sale of unregulated, intoxicating THC products. Rhea emphasized the importance of congressional action, stating, “the lack of clarity in the 2018 Farm Bill has created a serious public health and safety issue by allowing intoxicating hemp-derived products to be sold without regulation or oversight.” “These substances are often more potent than marijuana, marketed to children, and sold without proper safety standards. Congress must act swiftly to refine the federal definition of hemp to close this loophole and protect consumers, particularly our youth, from these dangerous and misleading products,” he said in a news release. Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived THC products — often more potent than marijuana — have flooded the market due to a misinterpretation of the bill’s language, according to the statement. Further, it noted that these “synthetic cannabinoids, including delta-8, delta-10, THC-O, and others, are being sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and online retailers across the country, frequently in packaging purposefully designed to appeal to children.” “These products are being manufactured and sold without consistent age restrictions, labeling standards, or safety requirements. In some states, poison control centers have reported alarming increases in pediatric exposures to these substances,” according to the statement. In their letter, the coalition of attorneys general urge the leaders of the Senate Committee on Appropriations; the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; the House Committee on Appropriations; and the House Committee on Agriculture to clarify the federal definition of hemp during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process or through the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. In addition to Rhea, the attorneys general in the following states and territories also signed the letter — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.
