WSWA, Others Push Back On Congress’s Budding Hemp THC Ban
June 10, 2025With the national hemp-derived THC industry facing total prohibition under a Republican budget bill making its way through Congress, the hemp industry is receiving support from U.S. alcohol wholesalers. The bill, from Maryland representative Andy Harris, would modify the definition of “industrial hemp,” closing the 2018 Farm Bill loophole, which legalized hemp that contained 0.3% THC or less for industrial purposes, including processing to extract the existing THC.
Harris’s bill has drawn widespread pushback not only from hemp operators themselves, but also drinks wholesalers active in the category. In an op-ed published in Marijuana Moment, WSWA president and CEO Francis Creighton advocated for regulation, not prohibition.
“In the alcohol industry, we have clear standards like alcohol by volume, helping consumers understand what they’re drinking and avoid overconsumption,” he wrote. “It makes just as much sense to have science-based standards for THC per serving and per container. This is not new. It’s not controversial. It’s responsible.”
Creighton, as WSWA has advocated in the past, proposed regulating hemp-derived THC drinks similarly to how the U.S. government has regulated alcohol since the end of Prohibition. “For nearly a century, America’s wine and spirits wholesalers have responsibly distributed intoxicating products under one of the most effective regulatory frameworks in American commerce,” he wrote. “We think the alcohol model makes sense, but if there’s a better one, let’s have that conversation.”
With the bill passing out of committee and heading for review by the full House Appropriations Committee, WSWA is making a broader push for state-level regulation. Framing the current bill as federal overreach, WSWA pointed to state-level regulation as the way forward. The group praised Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for signing a new law that would mandate age-restrictions, labeling requirements, and other stipulations for hemp-derived THC products. “States have stepped up to fill the regulatory vacuum, and Congress must be careful not to undermine their progress,” said Creighton, in a statement from WSWA.
Federal prohibition of hemp-derived products would impact alcohol wholesalers and retailers, as many across the U.S. have entered the market. “The House Appropriations Committee’s proposal to ban naturally occurring hemp-derived products like Delta-9 will undermine the legitimate and responsible work we’ve done to meet consumer demand while prioritizing public health and safety,” said John Giarrante, president of Show Me Beverages in Chesterfield, Missouri. “We’ve built a compliant, transparent business to bring structure and legitimacy to this fast-growing market.”
“We’ve invested in jobs, infrastructure, and compliance to bring accountability to this space—efforts that would be wiped out overnight, handing the market to unregulated bad actors,” added Shawn Lederman of Greenlight Distribution in Florida. “We urge Congress to respect our business and citizens. A total ban would be devastating.”—Shane English
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