Louisiana Sen. Stewart Cathy and Sen. Jay Morris stated at a recent Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on April 18 that the legalization of hemp products with THC was not intended. Cathy said at the meeting, according to The Daily Advertiser. “The legislature was not intended to authorize a statewide flood of the unregulated THC psychoactive drug market.”
Introduce the catheter Senate Bill 219 on April 10, and the last meeting held on April 18 marked the first time the bill was discussed. SB-219 proposes changing state law allowing up to 8 mg of THC in a cannabis product. Instead, he suggests a maximum of 2 mg THC. “If we want to legitimize [recreational THC]“It has to be done openly and honestly, which it hasn’t been done,” Morris explained. “It was sold to the legislature as if we don’t allow psychoactive substances.” As of the April 18 session, the bill has been approved by committee. to appear before the Senate.
As senators like Cathy and Morris work to amend the state’s existing law, advocates and business owners have spoken out about the harmful effects that amending the law could cause.
Business owners like Jason Garcy who owns Str8W8 Cannabis and is also the president of the Gulf South Hemp Association have spoken out publicly about how changes in the current law will only hurt their business. “This bill will definitely affect the industry.” Garci said. “This bill you are holding now puts people out of business in your city, state and district. It will kill my investment and my business.”
Likewise, Black Farmers Hemp President John Ford Lafayette shared similar concerns. “It doesn’t make any sense,” Lafayette said. “We are trying to grow an industry.” Casey White from Baby Purpose They said they had spent their life savings to open their storefronts. another employer, Virgin Hemp Farms owner Blaine JenningsHe described the bill as “a direct attack on the thousands of business owners in this booming industry.”
Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schicksneider also recently introduced a bill (House Bell 605) to amend existing cannabis law, but not to the extent of cannabis. Schexnayder has filed four cannabis-related bills since it became federally legal in 2018.
In March, Schicksnyder blamed the Louisiana Department of Health for mishandling enforcement of cannabis bills. “He was very clear about what we wanted as a legislature,” Schexnayder’s description.
On April 10, A.J Louisiana Legislative Auditor It released details of its audit to the Louisiana Department of Health (DOH). The report, “Stewardship of Consumer Cannabis Products,” found that 36 of the 2,564 registered consumer cannabis products approved by the Department of Health were “prohibited.” Additionally, 198 edible products exceeded the 8 mg limit for THC, among other examples of non-compliance with state law.
Louisiana Medical cannabis industry It became successful however Recreational cannabis Not currently legal. Cannabis flower sales started in January 2022.
Also in January 2022, Louisiana Senate candidate Gary Chambers smoked obscenities in a campaign video talking about the failed War on Drugs and how it affected people of color. “Every 37 seconds, someone is arrested for marijuana use. Since 2010, state and local police have arrested an estimated 7.3 million Americans for violating marijuana laws, more than half of all drug arrests,” Chambers said in his video. “Blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana laws than whites are. States waste $3.7 billion enforcing marijuana laws every year. Most of the people the police arrest are not dealers, but people with small amounts of pot, just like me.”
