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Industry, health advocates and brewers urge state regulation of hemp‑derived THC beverages; retailers warn of market disruption
Summary
Proponents told the joint committee that H.357/S.222 would bring unregulated hemp‑derived intoxicating beverages into a tested, age‑restricted market and capture tax revenue; craft brewers asked to be allowed to use existing sales privileges while packaged‑store retailers warned of oversaturation and commercial displacement.
Manufacturers, licensed cannabis businesses and public‑health advocates urged the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure to create a regulatory framework for hemp‑derived intoxicating beverages, saying the unregulated market exposes consumers — including minors — to untested products and that legalization with controls would recapture tax revenue.
Adam Oliveri, co‑founder and CEO of Craft Collective Homegrown, testified on behalf of the Commonwealth Beverage Coalition that House Bill 357 and Senate Bill 222 would regulate hemp‑derived THC beverages to prioritize consumer safety, restrict youth access and require testing and labeling. “Regulation isn’t just an industry priority. It’s a public‑health necessity,” Oliveri said.
Brandon Pollock, CEO of Theory Wellness, said licensed cannabis companies invest heavily in compliance and age gating and that a regulated framework would help local health departments remove…
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