Advocacy
Des Moines Register 7/11 Update:
Consumable Hemp: HF2605
On May 17th, Governor Reynolds signed HF2605, essentially attempting to eradicate the consumable hemp industry within Iowa that is not tied directly to medical dispensaries. This new law, while containing severalworthwhile line items, also contains requirements that remove 99% of current products from Iowa shelves. Even if manufacturers create new products that meet Iowa requirements, they will still need to be approved by the state in order to be sold, which is a process that is anything but expedited.
We wholeheartedly disapprove of how the state has approached this, as they have not attempted to work with stakeholders in the industry, nor with their constituents to form practical legislation. Iowa legislators have instead decided that their personal dislike of a specific product is enough to tell everyone that they are not allowed to enjoy it the way they want. The state believes that they know what’s best for Iowans, and so, like any overbearing parent, is attempting to control what grown adults do with their own person.
The claim legislators have made is that consumable hemp is a dangerous product, not just for minors, but also for adults. In the six years since the 2018 US Farm Bill was introduced, Iowa has not taken steps to protect minors. There is no evidence from the prior six years that the industry within Iowa has caused any harm. Furthermore, the majority of Iowans are in favor of legalizing the recreational use of THC, a fact that the legislators have completely ignored when crafting this legislation.
We strongly advise all cannabis friendly Iowans to reach out to their state Senators and Representatives, and to the Governor, urging them to reconsider this legislation.
To Find Your Legislators:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find
To Respond to the Governor:
https://governor.iowa.gov/contact-office-governor/share-your-opinion
What is HF2605?
Full Text: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=90&ba=HF2605
HF2605 is an update to Iowa Section 204 Code 2024 that makes the following changes:
- Requires purchasers of consumable hemp to be 21 years of age and enforces an ID check at the time of purchase.
- Creates a requirement to have a warning label on every product, with wording that is approved by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
- Changes the maximum allowable THC per serving to 4mg.
- Changes the maximum allowable THC per container to 10mg.
- Criminalizes giving a consumable hemp product to anyone under the age of 21. This applies to CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids.
- Other changes that create civil and criminal penalties for those selling consumable hemp products without being registered with the state, or selling products that are beyond the state approved limits.
- Allows the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to confiscate and destroy, at the business owner’s expense, any products it deems to be outside the allowable ranges.
How does this affect The Despensary?
This bill will effectively end The Despensary as a vendor of consumable hemp products. The limits imposed do not match any available product on the market and would make medical dispensaries the only legal source in Iowa.
How does this affect consumers?
Consumers would lose all choice regarding consumable hemp products. The only legal source would be the state approved medical dispensaries. Consumers would be forced to either patronize those locations, abstain entirely, or purchase from out of state, either by direct sale or purchasing online. The last option is effectively criminalized under this updated bill.
How does this affect Iowa and the consumable hemp industry?
With these changes, both the state and the industry suffer. This will cause jobs to be lost, tax revenue to be lost, and criminalize acts that most Iowans do not want to be criminalized. More Iowan tax money will be spent going after business violators and consumers, resulting in a net loss for the state. Iowa will also have to spend even more taxpayer money defending the changes in legal proceedings, as the owners of consumable hemp businesses will challenge the legislation in court.
Why is regulating consumable hemp a bad thing?
It isn’t, but regulations like these are not being created in good faith and are designed to establish a monopoly for the state approved medical dispensaries. The limits imposed are meant to kill the industry in the state. Sensible regulations would look at the current product lines to select reasonable limits, rather than impose industry killing ones.
What can be done?
Anyone with concerns about the direction of this legislation should contact their state House Representative, their state Senator, or the Governor’s office. The Governor has not signed this yet, meaning this may still be avoided. We need to make our voices heard and let the people working for us know that we are not unruly children needing guidance and that we can make our own choices about what we consume.
Governor’s Office
https://governor.iowa.gov/contact-office-governor
State Senators and Representatives
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find
Further Reading:
Cannabis vs Alcohol
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/77th2013/Exhibits/Assembly/JUD/AJUD725Q.pdf
Iowa Support for Legalized Cannabis
Advocacy Groups