DUBLIN, Ga. — This week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill with new restrictions on hemp sales. Under Senate Bill 494, you have to be 21 or older to purchase consumable hemp products.
Businesses that manufacture or sell the products will also need state licenses under the new bill. Additionally, labs that test hemp products will be required to test for a variety of hemp extracts besides Delta-9-THC. Delta-9-THC is the cannabinoid that gets users "high".
It also gives regulatory power to the Department of Agriculture, allowing it to determine if businesses and farmers are complying with the law.
At The CBD Source in Dublin, Staci Harrison said she finds relief from a variety of diagnoses, like PTSD and Multiple Sclerosis.
"I started using the products in 2020, and it helped me so much, I was able to go off of 12 different prescriptions," Harrison said.
She said she was also able to go back to working for the first time in 12 years.
In Georgia, people with a medical marijuana card can have 20 ounces of low-THC oil at a time. Harrison said that doesn't cut it for her pain, and that's why she buys stronger products at the CBD Source.
"It has helped keep me functioning. It has helped keep me living a normal life. I would not be able to do things- I would probably be in a wheelchair if I didn't have these," Harrison said.
She said hemp products have helped her so much, she's considering moving to another state after the bill goes into effect.
Joseph Loadholt is the owner of the CBD Source, and said his small business opened last February. He said a lot of his products — like kief, wax and hemp flower, which is his top seller — couldn't be sold anymore under the new bill because it redefines Delta-9 THC.
Under the new bill, products will have to have under 0.3% of both Delta-9-THC and Delta-9-THCA to be legal.
"It's going to end my business. It's going to end my family's you know, life and everything. The ability to do anything for myself," Loadholt said.
He said he already doesn't sell to people under 21 and has no problem with applying for licenses. He also has no problem with it being regulated and held to safety standards.
"Because people are coming in, they want to be able to do it safely. But they're going to buy it off the black market regardless," Loadholt said.
State Sen. Sam Watson sponsored the bill, and said it's all about consumer protection.
"Consumers know and understand when they purchase a product, what's in that product. I mean we do that with food that we grow and produce," Watson said.
He said they're just trying to look out for everybody who uses hemp products.
"We want to make sure everybody is using safe products and they're labeled properly and that we know, you know, who's manufacturing it, selling it," Watson said.
This new law takes effect July 1.