“Merely hitting pause does not protect public health; thoughtful regulation does.”
By Sasha Kalcheff-Korn, Realm of Caring
While some policymakers are proposing to delay impending hemp restrictions by extending the 2018 Farm Bill, this is just a band-aid and might ultimately create a significant missed opportunity.
An extension may temporarily allow farmers to plant this season, but it does nothing to solve the underlying problem. Kicking the can down the road only prolongs uncertainty for farmers, patients and families, plus it guarantees we will be having the same crisis conversation again next year. We create an industry that can’t plan for the future.
The right solution is not just delay; it is clarity.
Congress has a narrow window right now to fix the language, correct the THC threshold and clearly distinguish intoxicating products from non-intoxicating, therapeutic CBD—and it should take that opportunity while there is momentum and support to do so.
Farmers do not need temporary relief; they need regulatory certainty that allows them to operate responsibly and sustainably.
And most importantly, the patients and families who rely on this medicine need therapeutical tools they can depend on.
Claims that we need “more research” to determine intoxicating levels of THC in CBD products ignore the substantial body of evidence that already exists.
Scientific literature, clinical experience and real-world data consistently demonstrate that non-intoxicating CBD products can contain trace amounts of THC well below any level that produces intoxication. This is not theoretical, but it is observable, measurable and already understood.
No organization has engaged more deeply or consistently with the community using cannabinoids than Realm of Caring. Through tens of thousands of direct, recorded interactions with patients, caregivers, clinicians and families across the country, we can confidently articulate what constitutes a non-intoxicating level of THC in commercially available CBD products that have been used responsibly for more than a decade.
From our perspective, if lawmakers have the opportunity to pass a reasonable, evidence-based solution, particularly with encouragement from a supportive administration, they should take that shot.
This challenge can be viewed as a gift for the industry to come together, end the hemp ambiguity and protect workers and patients. But merely hitting pause does not protect public health; thoughtful regulation does.
Sasha Kalcheff-Korn is the executive director of Realm of Caring, a Colorado-based nonprofit that advocates for and connects people to cannabinoid therapy.
