The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee added an amendment to HB 2, a unanimously passed bill from the House. And the Alabama hemp industry is furious. Alabama could ban Delta 8.
House Bill 2
Representative Mike Holmes (R) introduced HB 2 to the House at the beginning of February. The bill would ban the synthetic opioid like substance tianeptine. This drug is an atypical antidepressant that can affect moods in low doses. In high doses, however, tianeptine is highly addictive and acts like an opioid, creating several serious side effects.
In the full House chamber, HB 2 received a vote 101-0. Everyone in the house agreed that tianeptine should be a Schedule 1 drug and passed the bill on to the Senate in hopes it would also pass there.
And the bill has passed, but with an amendment. Delta 8 THC and Delta 10 THC are legal under the Farm Bill and the Alabama. As long as a product contains less than 0.3 percent of Delta 9 THC within it, then it is safe and legal to produce and sell in the state. Delta 8 and Delta 10 are structurally different from Delta 9 thanks to a simple change in bonds on the molecular level. Delta 9 THC has a double bond on the 9th carbon chain with Delta 8 having a double bond on the 8th carbon chain and Delta 10 on the 10th carbon chain.
Because of the chemical structural differences, Delta 8 and Delta 10 are classified as industrial hemp. But this new amendment is looking to change that.
Hemp Industry Response
Many producers and distributors of hemp have spoken out against the amendment. However, they agree with the overall bill. They agree tianeptine should be a Schedule 1 drug. The potential benefits of Delta 8 and Delta 10 are too great to consider them a danger to the public.
Many states have legalized hemp as well as medical cannabis across the state. Even Alabama is considering a medical cannabis bill, SB 46. But with the addition of Delta 8 and Delta 10 to this bill, industry workers are saying the state is moving backwards, not forwards.
“We Oppose this Amendment. It’s premature to outlaw these potentially beneficial treatments for very serious conditions until research has been done. What we do know is that there have been no deaths attributed to Delta 8 THC and cannabis is generally safer than even some over-the-counter medications. The Alabama Senate has the opportunity to regulate Delta 8 THC and Delta 10 THC in The Compassion Act so it is controlled but still accessible to people who will benefit from it in reducing suffering and improve quality of life.”
This comes from the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association, who advocate for safe and accessible hemp for businesses and citizens alike.
Future
With so much outcry against this amendment to HB 2, there is still a question on how the Senate will act. There is no date for a full Senate discussion of HB 2. One is expected shortly. It’s unclear how Senators will respond. But activists and citizens are hoping the amendment will be struck and HB 2 will only ban tianeptine.
As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest. Make sure to check back for more cannabis and hemp related news.