The US hemp industry is preparing for a ban on most hemp products that Senator Mitch McConnell slipped into the spending bill just before the Senate voted to pass it and end the government shutdown. The US hemp industry generates $28bn a year in revenue and employs 300,000 people, according to Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the US Hemp Roundtable. Hemp products, on the other hand, are often available for purchase in liquor stores, grocery stores and online. If states are given autonomy over their hemp markets, hemp might continue to be available outside of cannabis dispensaries in those states. A total ban could mean that manufacturers will simply be forced to close or shift their focus to other kinds of products.

Source: The Guardian November 23, 2025 10:32 UTC