Minnesota working to provide legal clarity to CBD-infused products

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A bill on the table hopes to better define what cannabis products are legal

Hemp foods and beverages infused with cannabidiol (CBD) continue to be a trend around the country. Knowing this, Minnesota has made the decision to introduce a bill that clarifies the legality of these products. The measure has met with positive success so far, causing it to now find its way to the governor’s desk.

The proposal contains provisions to provide permanent protections to allow state hemp businesses to legally market certain cannabis products. Although the current session evidenced a failure to legalize recreational marijuana, meaningful hemp policy reform appears positioned for enactment.

Both the House and Senate gave the go-ahead to large-scale omnibus legislation. The measure contains several different hemp provisions and is now lining up for Governor Tim Walz’s signature. The bill’s intent is to permanently correct a legislative drafting problem that arose after state lawmakers sought to align Minnesota’s hemp policy with that of the federal government.

Should the long-sought signature become a reality, all hemp-derived cannabinoids, including CBD, would have the ability to be legally sold in foods, beverages, topicals, and more. The only condition for this is that the products contain less than the federal limit of 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). All of these types of products should be limited to a total of 5 mg of THC per serving and 50 mg per package.

“Really, this year, we had to work around the edges and not focus on [adult-use legalization],” Kurtis Hanna, a co-founder and contracted lobbyist with Minnesota NORML said. “The assumption is that next year, [broader reform] is going to be a much more viable path forward.”