Local Policy
Municipal Hemp Laws Explode as Local Governments Regulate THC Beverages
July 9, 2025 | Michael Greene, Jay Wimberly
Local governments are moving quickly to regulate hemp beverages due to legal ambiguity created by the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp derivatives containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC while leaving regulatory gaps for THC-infused products. Municipal approaches vary widely, from Chicago's proposed THC taxes and airport restrictions to Maryland's emergency ordinances prohibiting cannabis product distribution at public events, demonstrating the patchwork nature of local regulation. State leadership on hemp beverages influences local action, with Minnesota counties allowing self-service sales after the state's pioneering 2022 legislation, while Mississippi cities enacted bans following state legislative inaction. Local governments can implement hemp beverage regulations much faster than state legislatures, with some ordinances moving from introduction to adoption in just weeks, creating rapidly evolving compliance landscapes for businesses.
-3aa26b-400px.jpeg)
