Drinks containing the high-causing chemical THC are gaining popularity as an alternative to alcoholic beverages in Jacksonville. They’re on menus at bars and coffee shops and are even available in cans alongside the other adult beverages at local grocery stores.

Federal Loophole

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, known as the Farm Bill, introduced new regulations allowing farmers nationwide to more easily start producing, transporting and selling hemp and hemp-derived products. The bill legally defines hemp as any part or derivative of the cannabis sativa plant with “a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

Congress voted last year to effectively close the loophole and prohibit the retail sale of any product that contains more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. Many of the most common hemp-derived products contain at least 5 or 10 milligrams.

The ban takes effect Nov. 12.

Original reporting: Jacksonville Today — read the source article.