GOP Senator Blocks Federal THC Ban in Key Spending Bill

A controversial attempt to ban hemp products containing any detectable THC has been removed from a major federal spending bill, following pushback from Sen. Rand Paul. The move marks a short-term win for the hemp industry, but the battle over hemp-derived cannabinoids isn’t over yet.

Key Takeaways

• Sen. Rand Paul succeeded in removing a proposed hemp THC ban from the Senate’s Ag/FDA appropriations bill.
• The House version of the bill still includes the federal THC ban language.
• Paul warned the ban would devastate hemp farmers in Kentucky and beyond.
• Industry groups say they’re optimistic about a future compromise that protects both safety and market access.
• Debate continues over how to regulate intoxicating hemp products and synthetic cannabinoids.

Rand Paul Blocks THC Ban from Senate Spending Bill

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) forced the removal of a controversial federal THC ban from the Senate’s agriculture appropriations bill. The language, which would have prohibited the sale of hemp products with any “quantifiable” amount of THC, including trace levels naturally occurring in CBD products, was stripped following Paul’s procedural opposition.

“We have hemp farmers in my state, and this language will destroy them,” Paul told Politico.

Despite internal party disagreements, Paul’s stance prevailed. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), who chairs the subcommittee overseeing the bill, confirmed that the hemp provision had been dropped after no consensus could be reached between Paul and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell, a longtime supporter of hemp legalization, had backed the proposed restrictions.

“We could never get agreement between the two,” Hoeven said.

House Version Still Includes Federal THC Ban

Although the Senate version no longer includes the ban, the House’s agriculture appropriations bill still contains language that could effectively outlaw many hemp-derived products. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) has championed that version, despite industry concerns and a recent Congressional Research Service report suggesting the ban could eliminate most CBD and hemp cannabinoid products.

While Harris did revise report language to clarify that non-intoxicating hemp products were not the intended targets, the bill still outlaws products with any measurable THC. That includes full-spectrum CBD items, which often contain small, natural traces of THC.

Hemp Industry Reacts to Senate Victory

Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, applauded Sen. Paul for his intervention.

“We’re deeply grateful to Senator Paul for standing up for the hemp industry,” Miller told Marijuana Moment. “While a substantive deal was not formally reached, we’re hopeful that a compromise protecting hemp farmers will ultimately prevail.”

Industry advocates argue the federal THC ban would have crushed a sector already navigating inconsistent state laws and limited regulatory clarity. Many also view the move as an effort by marijuana businesses to curtail competition from hemp-derived intoxicants.

Chris Lindsey of the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) noted that the issue is less about support for the ban and more about procedural gridlock.

Synthetic Cannabinoids and Future Legislation

While the House and Senate remain divided, legislation introduced by Sen. Paul aims to reshape the conversation. His Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act would triple the legal THC threshold for hemp crops and address broader regulatory issues, signaling an alternative to the prohibitionist approach.

Meanwhile, groups like the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America have also weighed in, urging Congress to preserve access to naturally derived cannabinoids while cracking down only on synthetics. In a statement, WSWA President Francis Creighton warned that the House language “amounts to a ban.”

That sentiment is echoed across much of the hemp sector, which has fought similar proposals in previous sessions. Versions of the federal THC ban were introduced last year and again in the draft 2024 Farm Bill but failed to advance.

Conclusion

Sen. Rand Paul’s successful push to strip the federal THC ban from the Senate’s agriculture spending bill gives the hemp industry breathing room, but only temporarily. The House still backs restrictive language, and a final compromise is far from guaranteed. With industry advocates, lawmakers, and even alcohol trade groups chiming in, the debate over hemp-derived cannabinoids remains one of the most contentious in federal cannabis policy.