The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) has more support than ever before going into its 10^th annual Hemp History Week. Not only has the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp legalization provision boosted industry interest in the crop, but consumer-facing businesses around the U.S. will be hosting more than 1,500 events and connecting product manufacturers with a growing marketplace.

The 2019 campaign theme celebrates the “Return of the Plant.” As the HIA states: “Let’s reclaim the virtues of hemp after more than 80 years of prohibition and write a new history of hemp for future generations of farmers, consumers and manufacturers—a righteous, modern narrative of regenerative agriculture, renewable resources, plant-based nutrition and healthy lifestyles.”

While educational events will see consumers learning more about the nascent hemp industry, Hemp History Week will also encourage stakeholders of all stripes to take part in the groundswell of reform. Many state departments of agriculture are working on designing regulatory programs for hemp (which must then be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)), but others are not. And although the USDA will also get around to developing federal guidelines, the 2018 Farm Bill mostly passed the keys to state governments. 

A lot of the state action highlighted by Hemp History Week is pointed at allowing the retail sale of hemp-derived CBD products—as in Ohio or Florida. Newly legal hemp crop production is at odds with other industry forces.  

Indeed, the political significance of hemp reform also lands at a crossroads with the federal banking industry. Financial institutions have been shutting down accounts with hemp businesses, especially those that manufacture hemp-derived CBD products. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) kicked off a series of hearings on CBD policy May 31, the industry is still a long way from any real clarity on the matter. 

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and its chemical constituents, but hemp-derived CBD has fallen into a regulatory gray area—thanks to its status as an active drug ingredient in Epidiolex. The FDA and many U.S. states have insisted that CBD may not be used as a food ingredient or dietary supplement; those uses, however, are the foundation of industry estimates that the hemp-derived CBD market growth rate will eclipse all other cannabis markets. The Brightfield Group reports that the hemp-derived CBD market will hit $22 billion by 2022. 

To meet the market where it’s headed, the HIA and other industry organizations have gathered to promote a certification program for hemp businesses. The groups awarded their first 13 certification seals in early March, but the new program has earned a fair bit of scrutiny from around the U.S. 

“For people who are participating in the industry, I think it’s important for them to reach out and let these officials know what they think the rules should be,” Kight Law Offices’ Rod Kight told Cannabis Business Times. “Five years from now—even a year from now—you won’t be able to do that.”

Illinois is likely to become the 11^th U.S. state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis after the state's House passed the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA) 66-47 May 31—the last day before adjournment. The legislation has been sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who called for legalization in his gubernatorial campaign and has pledged to sign the law. 

The Senate passed the bill May 29. With Pritzker’s signature, Illinois will become the first state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis through its legislative process.

“It’s fantastic. It’s the first legislature in the country to pass legalization,” Chris Lindsey, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) told Cannabis Business Times. “It’s got absolutely historic equity provisions. It does an amazing amount to try to reduce the harms caused by the war on cannabis. It just hits so many of the notes. I’m extremely proud of everybody that was working in Illinois to make it possible.”

MPP played a significant role in drafting and advocating for the passage of the CRTA, working closely with the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Kelly Cassidy.

“MPP is proud to have worked hand-in-hand with state lawmakers and Gov. Pritzker to develop this historic legislation,” said MPP Executive Director Steve Hawkins in a public statement. “The Illinois Legislature has set a standard of excellence with this bill that other states seeking to pass similar legislation should follow. Illinois has put in place a set of equity provisions that should serve as a national model for other state legislatures grappling with how to redress the harm caused to communities targeted in the drug war.”

The bill mandates that starting Jan. 1, 2020, individuals 21 and older can legally possess up to 30 grams of flower, five grams of THC concentrate and five grams of THC in a marijuana-infused product. The state must establish a regulatory structure to license and regulate dispensaries, processors, cultivation centers, craft growers and transporters. Registered medical marijuana patients would be able to cultivate up to five plants at home under the bill.

The measure also includes expungement provisions that allow past convictions for possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis to be cleared automatically. For cases involving greater than that—up to 500 grams—individuals and the state’s attorneys would be able to petition a court to vacate the convictions.

“Cannabis criminalization in Illinois is coming to an end,” said Illinois NORML Executive Director Dan Linn in a public statement. “While this bill isn't perfect, it does provide a pathway for adults to legally obtain and consume cannabis. It also expands access and rights for qualified medical patients. Importantly, the bill provides much needed relief to those most harmed by the legacy of prohibition and emphasizes giving those who have been most harmed by cannabis criminalization preference in establishing a foothold in this new industry.”

“We're going to be able to look back five years from now and see that the quality of life in disadvantaged communities has been made better because of this legislation,” added Chicago NORML Executive Director Edie Moore, also in a public statement.