Alabama Officials Release Proposed Rules for Hemp THC Products

Alabama alcohol regulators have released rules to implement the controversial hemp industry restrictions approved by lawmakers earlier this year. Officials with the Alabama Beverage Control (ABC) Board have unveiled rules to implement the controversial hemp industry restrictions signed into law by the governor earlier this year, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.

The law, HB 445, bans the sale of smokable THC products, including vaporizers, and sets potency caps on hemp THC consumables such as edibles or infused beverages.

The ABC regulations unveiled this month would create new rules for hemp product packaging and labeling, requiring infused beverage products to be packaged with “child-resistant” materials, which effectively rules out screw cap bottles and pop-top cans. The packaging rules also ban imitating common food or beverage brands and using any imagery or characters that could “appeal primarily to minors.”

The rules also outline the law’s ban on “any intoxicating substances or intoxicating additives other than cannabinoids,” and set new record-keeping requirements for hemp product retailers, the report said.

Under state law, only properly licensed retailers are allowed to sell hemp THC products. The regulations propose establishing a “Hearing Commission” of at least three ABC appointees, including the Board Administrator, that would convene to administer, suspend, or revoke licenses, consider complaints, and perform other administrative duties.

On July 7, police arrested the first person in Alabama for possessing smokable hemp products, which is considered a Class C felony under the state’s new hemp rules.