JONESBOROUGH. Tenn. (WJHL)- A new bill has been introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly that would regulate hemp-driven cannabinoid products such as Delta-8 and Delta-10.
The new bill, Senate Bill 0378, would also ban the sale of this product for customers under 21 and add a 5% sales tax to the merchandise.
The bill was introduced by State Senator Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville), and its companion bill in the House was introduced by Representative William Lamberth. You can read the bill in its entirety by clicking here.
Northeast Tennessee CBD and hemp companies that sell those products spoke with News Channel 11 about the new bill and what it could mean for their business.
“One the biggest issues with what’s going on right now with all this Delta-8 stuff is that people can put and do and say whatever they want with these products, which is a huge issue,” said Jakob Bowen, manager of Tennessee Hemp Company in Jonesborough.
Tennessee Hemp Company has already set its own rules; the business does not sell THC products to any customers under 21.
“We have really since day one as a business, it is our view on things that if anything is an intoxicating compound like THC can be, it has a psychoactive effect to it,” Bowen said. “That has always been our rule of thumb here is that business is 21 and older.”
Gold Spectrum in Elizabethton also sells Delta-8 products. Founder of Gold Spectrum Zack Green said that he is hoping that lawmakers will pass the bill. He also said that the 5% sales tax will not have a major impact on business.
“It might be a 5% loss, but in the bigger scheme of things, I think that it’s good for the industry and good for the community,” said Green.
Lawmakers are expected to file legislation for more widespread cannabis by next week’s filing deadline.
