A bill heading to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe's desk would take all intoxicating hemp products off the shelves starting Nov. 12 — including THC seltzers currently sold in bars and grocery stores — aligning state law with an upcoming federal ban.
If Congress reverses course and decides to allow the sale of these products, Missouri would only permit them to be sold in licensed marijuana dispensaries. And if Congress chooses to delay the ban for a couple years, Missouri would still ban all products, except for the sale of intoxicating beverages in dispensaries.
The House passed a bill sponsored by Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O'Fallon with a vote of 126 to 23. It passed the Senate Tuesday night and now heads to the governor for his signature or veto.
The bill also includes provisions to protect marijuana consumer privacy and cannabis workers' right to organize, which were amendments state senators added late Tuesday evening.
Hinman's legislation was one of the first bills to get House approval this year. He previously told The Independent the legislation was a priority for the state's leadership, including the governor, attorney general and House speaker.
"I am happy that a bipartisan super majority of legislators in both the Senate and House agree that something needs to be done in limiting intoxicating hemp products," Hinman told The Independent Thursday. "This bill is important for local police and prosecutors to keep Missouri citizens safe."
Intoxicating hemp products with as much as 1,000 mg of THC are being sold in smoke shops — outside of Missouri's licensed marijuana dispensaries — and they aren't regulated by any government agency. Missouri lawmakers have failed to pass legislation regulating these products since 2023.
The bill comes amidst uncertainty on where the federal government will finally land on regulations for these products.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December ordering his administration to work with Congress to develop a framework that permits full-spectrum CBD products, which have a trace amount of THC.
On Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rolled out an initiative that could cover $500 per year worth of hemp-derived THC of 3mg per serving and CBD products for eligible users. The products under this program would be illegal in Missouri under the bill approved Thursday.
This story was originally published by the Missouri Independent.
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