Despite warnings that the hemp industry will be necrotic, the House Judiciary Committee passed measures on Wednesday to conclude restrictions.

Hosted by William Lambers, the House of Representatives majority of Portland. House Bill 1376 The industry will place it under the Alcoholic Beverage Commission on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, removing convenience and products from grocery stores. Some hemp products are permitted to be sold.

The House bill will next be heard by the Commerce Committee, where an agreement with the industry could be reached.

“We’re banning THCA and THCP because we’re not legalizing marijuana in this condition,” Lambers said.

Hemp is distinguished from marijuana in that it contains a compound called delta-9 THC. Cannabis with concentrations of Delta-9 THC below 0.3% is defined as legal hemp in Tennessee and the federal state. Cannabis at concentrations above 0.3% are classified as marijuana and are illegal to grow, sell, and own in Tennessee.

Hemp flowers also contain THCA, a non-toxic acidic acid banned in Tennessee under the bill. When heated or smoked, the THCA of the plant is converted to Delta 9 THC. This is more illegal than the trace amounts of Tennessee’s trace amounts.

Hemp Industry Representative Clint Palmer told lawmakers it resembles the bill passed in 2023 that led to a lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture, which remains in the lawsuit.

Palmer said if new measures pass, hemp businesses will be forced to close even after spending millions of dollars in compliance with state regulations.

“Bill’s sponsors say it’s Wild West when it comes to the current hemp program, which is far from true,” Palmer said.

The 2023 law puts new restrictions on products that include THC, he said, and that retailers, manufacturers and distributors must obtain licenses or face criminal charges. Palmer added that despite a 6% tax on hemp-derived products, regulations are lacking from the Department of Agriculture.

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Lamberth says consumers should know the ingredients when purchasing hemp products. However, Palmer said these are listed on the label under the 2023 law.

House leaders also showed that the industry appears ready to sue the state once again as federal farm laws set the standard for hemp.

Palmer refused to acknowledge whether the lawsuit could comply with the passage of the new bill, but he said the Alcohol Beverage Commission “does not clearly understand hemp plants, and that is clearly shown in this bill.”

The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Senator Richard Briggs of Knoxville, will next be heard by the Finance Committee.

Briggs said last week that it would turn into marijuana as soon as the product was heated.

“We can withdraw the bill and let’s put another bill there that says we’re going to have recreational marijuana,” Briggs said. “Let’s be completely honest. It helps businesses and we’ll earn a lot of revenue.