The company said the Barr-Craig proposal would replace a scheduled narrowing of hemp rules with FDA oversight, testing, labeling and age restrictions while preserving lawful products.
cbdMD said it supports the bipartisan Lawful Hemp Protection Act introduced July 21 by Rep. Andy Barr and Rep. Angie Craig, as the U.S. hemp industry approaches a Nov. 12, 2026 change to the federal definition of hemp under Section 781 of the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations law. The company said that, without congressional action, many lawful full-spectrum CBD products and hemp wellness products could be pushed out of the market. It also backed the Administration's call to address the hemp definition through pending budget legislation before that deadline. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company said the bill would repeal the Section 781 provision and create a longer-term federal framework for hemp-derived products. That framework would place hemp-derived products under FDA oversight (U.S. food and drug regulator), require mandatory third-party testing, transparent labeling, a 21-and-over age requirement and domestic sourcing, while targeting synthetic intoxicants. cbdMD said it favors standards that protect access to responsibly manufactured full-spectrum CBD, require independent testing and accurate labeling, set manufacturing and marketing rules including limits on youth-focused marketing, restrict synthetic and artificially modified cannabinoids, and preserve lawful interstate commerce for compliant products. Chief Executive Officer Ronan Kennedy said the measure offers a practical regulatory framework and urged Congress to act before the November implementation deadline. The company said a consistent federal regime would improve consumer confidence, strengthen safety standards and provide more certainty for manufacturers and retailers. The release also said legislative and regulatory outcomes remain uncertain and actual results may differ materially.