“For many adults, a hemp-derived THC beverage is their first cannabis product.”
By Joe Gerrity, Crescent Canna
Three years ago, hemp-derived THC beverages were a regulatory curiosity—a byproduct of the 2018 Farm Bill that few outside the cannabis world noticed.
Today, they represent a multibillion-dollar national market, sold in mainstream retail alongside beer and hard seltzer, and widely viewed as the fastest-growing segment of the broader cannabis industry.
That growth is now on the verge of being erased.
Congress recently voted to prohibit hemp-derived THC products nationwide—not through comprehensive cannabis legislation, but through language inserted into a federal appropriations bill. Unless lawmakers reverse course, products that have been federally legal for years will become illegal this November, dismantling an industry Congress itself enabled in 2018.
Hemp beverages are no longer fringe. They are a visible bridge between the regulated marijuana industry and everyday consumer retail.
From Niche to National Footprint
In just a few years, hemp THC drinks have moved from specialty shelves to prominent placement in national chains. Retailers now dedicate full cooler sets and endcaps to the category. In states like Minnesota, some liquor stores report hemp beverages accounting for an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of
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