Louisiana tweaks rules for hemp, medical cannabis markets

Louisiana lawmakers made several major changes to hemp and medical marijuana laws, including a crackdown on hemp edibles and a reorganization of medical cannabis cultivation ownership, with a pair of new bills sent to the desk of Gov. Jeff Landry.

Under House Bill 952, the maximum amount of THC allowed in hemp edibles will be lowered to 5 milligrams from 8 milligrams, and gas stations will be barred from selling the goods, the Louisiana Illuminator reported. In addition, the state is prohibited from awarding any new hemp business permits to restaurants, bars, and other establishments that sell liquor.

Hemp tincture potency limits were also installed, lowering the allowed amount of THC to 30 milligrams from 80 milligrams, and hemp-based beverages containing THC are limited to 5 milligrams per container.

HB 952 also establishes new mandatory potency testing for intoxicating hemp goods and makes other changes as well. The bill is awaiting Landry’s signature and would go into effect in January.

The measure wound up as something of a political compromise, the Illuminator reported, which staved off a potential crackdown by cannabis opponents who wanted to eliminate intoxicating hemp goods altogether from the Louisiana market.

A separate measure, Senate Bill 228 – which has already been signed into law – transferred medical marijuana cultivation rights from two public universities, Southern University and Louisiana State University, to the two private companies that control the supply chain, Ilera Holistic Healthcare and Good Day Farm. The transition went into effect immediately after Landry signed it on May 22.

The new law, which eliminates the public universities’ involvement in the Louisiana medical cannabis trade, effectively creates a “100% privately owned duopoly” for Ilera and Good Day Farm, the Illuminator noted.