Merkley, Wyden Look To Address Hemp Issues In Oregon

Oregon’s senators are pushing legislation they say would protect the state’s hemp industry, after a provision was approved in November’s government funding bill outlawing all CBD products nationwide.  Senator Jeff Merkley said he and Mitch McConnell worked together to legalize non-THC hemp products in the original farm bill.

“All was good. And then, some of the hemp was put into the laboratory and turned into a Delta-8 product, which is a hallucinogen," Merkley said.  "It’s a THC, like marijuana. And, so people started saying ‘well, hemp is just a loophole."

McConnell then included a provision in November’s reconciliation bill Merkley said would shutter 90% of Oregon’s hemp market.  Merkley said he agrees more protections are needed, but not at the expense of a legal agricultural product.

“So, I was able to introduce an amendment in committee and get a one-year delay on the implementation of McConnell’s effort to shut this down,” Merkley said.

Merkley added he and Senator Ron Wyden want that time spent on developing FDA regulations to monitor the industry.

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