[PRESS RELEASE] – WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2025 – The U.S. Hemp Roundtable issued the following statement regarding the proposed Senate language to recriminalize hemp products, condemning the harmful decision by Congress that threatens to eliminate America’s $28.4 billion hemp industry and jeopardizes more than 300,000 American jobs. If passed, this legislation would wipe out 95% of the industry, shuttering small businesses and American farms while costing states $1.5 billion in lost tax revenue.
Despite misleading claims that this language protects nonintoxicating CBD products, the reality is that more than 90% of nonintoxicating hemp-derived products contain levels of THC that are greater than the proposed cap of 0.4 milligrams per container. As a result, seniors, veterans and many other consumers who depend on hemp for their health and well-being would be violating federal law to purchase these products, disrupting their care and leaving them scrambling for potentially harmful alternatives.
While Congress pushes forward with this hemp-killing provision, the fight is far from over. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is submitting an emergency amendment to strike the hemp ban from the proposed legislation, a move fully supported by the hemp industry. His leadership offers a critical lifeline to thousands of American farmers, entrepreneurs and consumers, and the industry stands united behind his efforts.
If the language passes, as-is, the hemp industry is committed to continuing the fight. During the one-year proposed moratorium, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable will work closely with lawmakers to reverse the ban and replace it with responsible, science-based regulations that crack down on misleading and purely synthetic products, create restrictions that keep products out of the hands of children, and promote standard manufacturing practices. Unlike these regulations, the current proposal fails to protect consumers and risks fueling a dangerous black market.
“Our industry is being used as a pawn as leaders work to reopen the government. Recriminalizing hemp will force American farms and businesses to close and disrupt the well-being of countless Americans who depend on hemp,” U.S. Hemp Roundtable General Counsel Jonathan Miller said. “We support Senator Rand Paul’s efforts to push back on this language and will continue to fight alongside him for a regulated, safe and robust hemp industry.”
