Missouri Hemp Restriction Bill Blocked (for Now) by Filibustering State Senator A state senator’s prolonged filibuster has temporarily halted the passage of Senate Bill 904, the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act, which would reclassify hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid products as marijuana. The bill, sponsored by Sen. David Gregory (R-St. Louis), mirrors federal legislation set to take effect in November, which redefines hemp as cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent total THC rather than just delta-9 THC. This change would move most intoxicating hemp products into the marijuana category, requiring them to be sold exclusively at licensed marijuana retailers. Sen. Karla May (D-St. Louis) filibustered the bill on Tuesday, preventing a vote. She argued the measure would harm Missouri’s hemp industry by eliminating sales through CBD stores, health and wellness retailers, convenience stores, and other non-licensed outlets. May claimed the bill was a “stalking horse” for the state’s legal marijuana industry, which she alleged sought to monopolize the market for cannabis products. “I’m all for regulation,” May said, “but I’m not for eliminating an industry for the benefit of another industry, creating an unfair business advantage in law that they can capitalize off of.” Gregory defended the bill as a public safety measure, citing concerns about unregulated hemp products. “These products, we don’t know what’s in them,” he stated. “There’s been tests already begun where we’re finding things like paint thinner. We have no idea where they’re coming from.” He emphasized the need to prevent cannabis products from reaching minors and to align state law with federal standards.#missouri #senator_david_gregory #senator_karla_may #hemp_industry #intoxicating_cannabinoid_control_act
