In the state of Tennessee, where both medical and recreational use of cannabis is prohibited, hemp-derived products with the psychoactive compound delta-8 THC, including vape cartridges and concentrates, are relatively accessible. However, a recently introduced legislation seeks to impose stricter controls on these delta-8 THC products, establishing an age limit of 21 and over and introducing mandatory testing and taxation measures.
The ground-breaking legislation, which was put forward by State House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senator Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) on January 25, targets a range of products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids, including delta-8 and delta-10 THC. This is the second time legislators have tried to push through such a regulation.
The proposal found favor with Governor Bill Lee (R-Tennessee), who gave it his formal approval, thus turning it into law. This new legislation introduces a framework for dealing with delta-8 THC products in a similar manner to cannabis-derived products. A comprehensive taxation and regulation system for hemp-derived cannabinoids, which some critics label as synthetic, will be implemented via Senate Bill 0378 and its equivalent, House Bill 0403.
Another critical aspect of this law is that it requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct thorough quality assurance inspections on all products containing delta-8 THC and other hemp-derived items.
A big concern within this new and fast growing industry is the potential presence of harmful residual chemicals, a risk that could be significantly reduced if products were regulated similarly to those created with cannabis-derived cannabinoids.
“Delta-8 has remained entirely unregulated until now,” stated Senator Briggs. “The primary goal of this bill is to provide assurance to the public and consumers that the product they’re purchasing is as described, free of contaminants, and will not be sold to individuals under 21 years of age.”