Georgia committee hears discussion on Senate Bill 254 to limit hemp-derived THC beverages

House Regulated Industries Committee members heard two hours of testimony and questions on Senate Bill 254 on hemp-derived, consumable products — including beverages and gummies — but did not take a formal vote.

Senator Kouser, the bill author, told the committee the measure was intended to reduce the allowable THC in hemp-based beverages and to slow market growth while regulators and lawmakers gather more data. "This would be Senate Bill 254," he said, and explained that federal law and state rules currently allow several pathways for hemp-derived THC products to reach the market.

The bill would roll back portions of current rules and industry practice: Kouser described an original regulatory cap at 5 milligrams of THC per 12-ounce beverage, a later Department of Agriculture rule raising that to 10 milligrams, and a Senate floor amendment that moved the bill to prohibit THC beverages entirely ("0" milligrams) before the measure came to the House. "All my bill did was roll it back to the original 5 milligram 12 ounces," Kouser said, adding the bill would also limit gummies to 10 milligrams per unit and 150 milligrams per package.

Why it matters: supporters said the products can be intoxicating and are spreading quickly through convenience stores, hemp shops and other outlets. Kouser and several committee members raised concerns about driving under the influence and workplace drug testing, noting that THC can remain in the body long after alcohol does and that testing for impairment is more complex. "Let's pump the brakes and slow this down a little bit before it goes crazy," Kouser said.

Department of Agriculture testimony: Catherine Russell, director of policy for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, told the committee the department has already issued extensive rules and is monitoring an industry that is rapidly adjusting to regulation. "We would like to have a little bit more time to go ahead and start moving forward with a little bit of data," Russell said, and asked for time to study market effects before legislative changes are made.

She described the state's testing and licensing regime: products sold in Georgia must be tested by state-recognized labs, carry QR codes linking to lab results, and meet standards for cannabinoids, metals, pesticides and microbial contamination. Russell also noted the federal 2018 Farm Bill carved out hemp from marijuana by defining hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis; states have responded with differing per-serving and per-package limits.

Industry and retailer testimony: manufacturers and retailers told the committee they have invested to comply with recent rule changes and urged clearer, stable rules rather than rapid reversals. Alan Porter, a manufacturer who identified his company as a Georgia beverage maker, said losing the ability to do business here would force him to move production elsewhere. "If it does get outlawed in Georgia, unfortunately, I have 2 options. I would shut down my manufacturing here and move to Florida," Porter said.

A multi-store retailer who identified himself as Jeff, owner of Nature Oil Georgia, said license compliance and age verification are in place at his stores and that abrupt regulatory changes create heavy costs. "Switching around all of the labels and products to make sure it was compliant was a hefty expense," he told the committee.

Public-health and prevention testimony: speakers representing public-health concerns urged caution. Michael Mumper of Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy summarized research and state comparisons for portion limits and package limits, noting other states' approaches range widely (examples cited by witnesses included 5–10 milligrams per serving and per-package limits from 25 mg to 200 mg depending on the state). Dr. Greg Raducah, a longtime substance-use treatment professional, urged study of vaping and cartridge products, called cannabis use disorder a documented medical diagnosis and said higher potency products raise public-health concerns.

Revenue and retail access: the state's revenue officials told the committee an excise tax on intoxicating hemp beverages would be technically complex. A Revenue Department representative said draft excise-tax proposals would affect multiple code sections and that an "ad hoc committee this summer" was needed to devise correct statutory language. Revenue staff and committee discussion also covered whether products could be sold in packaged-liquor stores; existing mercantile rules for packaged-liquor retailing mean statutory direction would be required to allow such sales.

Enforcement and testing logistics: witnesses and staff described how enforcement works in practice. The Department of Agriculture requires products to be tested in approved labs and to include a QR code linking to a certificate of analysis; Russell said spot checks and retail licensing are core tools. Committee members pressed on whether testing can reliably distinguish THC derived from hemp versus marijuana; Russell and others said that chemical and genetic tests are possible but can be lengthy and complex.

Committee outcome and next steps: the committee did not vote on Senate Bill 254 during the hearing. Committee leaders and witnesses discussed potential substitute language, study committees to examine a broader range of cannabinoids (delta-8, HHC and other derivatives), and next meetings. Revenue officials said excise-tax language was being deferred to summer workgroups. The chair scheduled continued committee work and invited technical witnesses to return for follow-up sessions.

The hearing brought industry, public-health advocates and regulators into rare agreement on one point: the market is new, rapidly evolving, and lawmakers face trade-offs among consumer access, public safety and economic consequences for manufacturers and retailers.

Ending: The committee recessed with plans to continue the discussion at a follow-up meeting; no formal committee action was recorded on SB 254 during this session.