“What’s actually happening is the prohibitionist conversation is happening as a reaction to the irresponsible sale of these drugs.”

By David Abbott, Arizona Mirror

Arizona legislators introduced more than a dozen bills focused on amending marijuana laws this year, but just five are left standing as lawmakers have passed the midpoint of their annual session.

Remaining bills run the gamut from advertising restrictions to addressing the failures of the social equity program to regulating hemp production.

Hemp battle continues

In addition to its industrial use for products like rope and fabric, hemp is also a source for cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC and CBD. Products containing those compounds can be found for sale in smoke shops and convenience stores across Arizona.

They are not regulated under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act that legalized medicinal marijuana in 2010, or Smart and Safe Arizona, which legalized recreational cannabis in 2020, meaning they can legally be sold outside of dispensaries.

The powerful Arizona Dispensary Association (ADA) wants hemp-derived intoxicants to be either banned outright or regulated the same way the state controls marijuana, through the Arizona Department of Health Services, with licensing to limit access to the market, rigorous testing and strict advertising controls.

Read full article on Marijuana Moment