Bill aimed at increasing regulations on cannabis-infused drinks passes hearing

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — Senate Bill 202 passed the house committee Wednesday 16-2, but not without pushback from the hemp industry.

Senator Julie Raque-Adams says she introduced this bill as a way to keep cannabis-infused drinks out of the hands of children.

“A lot of people testified that we needed to pay attention to this product and we needed to put some guardrails around it because of the lax enforcement,” the senator said.

The bill would give the ABC power over these drinks which hemp users say is a dangerous path for recovering alcoholics.

“Part of addiction is the OCD, it’s the habit, and to be walking in to a liquor store a couple times a week to buy their hemp beverages is dangerous,” one person testified.

Several people also testified that the bill’s 5 milligram cap is too low.

“We’d like you to reconsider the fact that the 5 mg cap which is equivalent to a light beer – Tennessee has set a 25 mg per serving cap and we would appreciate consideration along Tennessee’s lines,” Jim Higdon, cofounder Cornbread Hemp said.

The bill would also require stores to have a license in order to sell these beverages.

“A lot of people were mad that they couldn’t distribute if they didn’t have a license for alcohol,” Senator Raque-Adams said. “This puts in the ability to allow stores to get a license so they can continue selling this product, they just have to show that that’s what they’re selling.”

While the bill passed Wednesday, many representatives expressed concern that there is still a lot of work to be done.