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Lobbyists representing some of the country’s largest alcohol companies, including Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors and Diageo, have been urging state attorneys general to pressure Congress into keeping the scheduled federal hemp ban on track, according to a new report. Emails obtained through public records requests show that the companies have been working behind the scenes to discourage lawmakers from delaying or reversing the ban.
The legislation, signed by President Trump last year, changes the federal definition of hemp by counting total THC rather than just Delta-9 THC and imposing a limit of just 0.4 milligrams of combined THC and similar cannabinoids per finished product container. That threshold would effectively eliminate much of the current hemp-derived cannabinoid market, including products containing naturally occurring cannabinoids such as THCA. A separate provision targeting cannabinoids that cannot naturally occur in the cannabis plant is scheduled to take effect November 12, while the broader restrictions have been delayed until December 11.
Meanwhile, bipartisan support is growing in Congress for regulating these products rather than banning them, with several lawmakers proposing legislation that would establish testing requirements, age restrictions, labeling standards and taxation. Some voices within the alcohol industry have also supported regulation over prohibition, highlighting a divide over how the growing hemp beverage market should be handled. With the December deadline approaching, lawmakers face mounting pressure to decide whether these products will remain available under a regulated framework or be pushed out of the legal hemp market.
This is a summary.
Please read the original article, Alcohol Lobbyists Encouraged Law Enforcement Officials To Push For Federal Hemp Crackdown, Report Says
Original article written by Tom Angell. Published on October 30, 2026 by Marijuana Moment.
