NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Legislation that bans the sale of THCA in Tennessee is heading to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk after passing in both the House and Senate.
SB 1413, sponsored by Sen. Richard Briggs (R – Knoxville), passed with 23 “ayes” and 9 “nays” on Thursday. It’s the companion bill to HB 1376, passed on first consideration on April 14.
The day before it was voted on in the House, an amendment was added to HB 1376 that prevents the sale of hemp that contains a total THC content, or a total theoretical THC content, of more than 0.3% when measured by weight. This would include most THCA products because it’s a precursor of THC.
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The legislation also transfers regulatory authority over hemp-derived cannabinoid products from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Hemp advocates, like the political action committee Tennessee Growers Coalition, protested the legislation at the state capitol on Thursday. The committee said the amendment “significantly undermines the months of hard work and collaboration the industry has committed to.”
“The TGC has been actively working with lawmakers throughout this process to voice the industry’s concerns and find a workable solution—this amendment disregards that effort entirely,” the PAC said after the legislation passed the House.
BLOM Shop owner Travis McKinney said the bill could put his store out of business, which sees up to 80% of its sales from THC-A products. Popular products that could be pulled include vapes, smokable flower and pre-rolled joints.
“Not only small businesses, but hundreds of farmers are gonna go out of business that rely on hemp,” McKinney said. “When it became legal, I saw how many people it’s helped, whether it’s people that are close to you or just a stranger.”
