Hemp beverage proposal stalls after industry warns a state ban would push product into black market

The Senate panel took up language drafted to limit THC concentrations in consumable hemp products and to close synthetic-THC loopholes that had prompted earlier Senate action. The sponsor said the bill restores elements of earlier Senate Bill 254—limits gummies to a per‑serving cap and drinks to a per‑can cap—and adds labeling that consumption can impair driving.

Angela Holland, president of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, told the committee the draft’s definition of "total concentration of intoxicating cannabinoids" could functionally ban many currently regulated products. She warned that an effective state ban would push product distribution underground and said her members had begun selling only after a regulatory framework and licensing were put in place. "Upon quick review, we believe that this version has the effect of banning all consumable hemp products on the market," Holland said.

Committee members focused questions on public‑safety and enforcement: they noted there is currently no reliable roadside test for THC impairment, asked how long cannabinoids remain detectable, and debated whether per‑serving limits should be set lower (some senators suggested 2.5 mg rather than the 5–10 mg levels in the draft). Committee members also discussed the approaching federal rule change (noted to take effect Nov. 1) that could restrict allowable THC concentrations nationwide.

After debate and public testimony, a motion to pass the measure failed on a close recorded voice tally. The chair said the bill will remain alive for further work before the next meeting and adjourned the committee.

What’s next: Sponsors and the Department of Agriculture were invited to clarify testing approaches and definitions and to return with language that more narrowly targets specific compounds and concentrations while preserving an enforceable regulatory framework.