CHICAGO, August 3, 2026 —It looks as if the looming ban on hemp-THC beverages could be getting a stay of execution, albeit a brief one.
Leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Sunday released a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through Dec. 11. It includes language that would pump the brakes on the scheduled hemp-THC prohibition until that date—about a month after the original ban was scheduled to take effect. Both the Senate and the House must still approve the continuing resolution, and the long-term future of hemp-THC products remains uncertain.
Advocates of the fast-growing intoxicating beverage segment, however, applauded the step.
Diana Eberlein, chairwoman of the advocacy group the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives, on LinkedIn called the extension “the first domino to fall” as hemp-THC advocates work for regulation, not an outright ban, on the low-dose beverages.
“Inclusion in the Senate CR [continuing resolution] is more than a 30-day hemp extension,” Eberlein wrote. “It’s an indicator that there is interest in regulating hemp-derived cannabinoid products.”
Last November, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) added last-minute language to the must-pass federal funding bill that would ban all hemp products with more than 0.4 milligrams of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, per container, a move he said was designed to keep minors away from the drug. That ban is still set to begin on Nov. 12, barring a vote from Congress.
(The passage of that funding bill ended the more than 40-day government shutdown late last year.)
The ban closes what some viewed to be a loophole in the 2018 farm bill that allowed for the nationwide sale of products containing 0.3% hemp-derived THC by weight in places like convenience stores, grocery stores, restaurants and entertainment venues.
These products contain lower doses of THC per container than those sold in dispensaries in states where marijuana is legal.
Last month, the bipartisan duo of Reps. Andy Barr (R-Kentucky) and Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) introduced the Lawful Help Protection Act. It would take the place of the hemp-THC ban and instead would establish a regulatory framework for the products’ sale, labeling, packaging, sourcing, age restrictions and more.
The hemp-THC segment has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with hundreds of suppliers producing seltzers, spirit analogues, beverage additives, sodas, edibles and more, all typically containing 2 milligrams to 10 milligrams of intoxicating THC per serving.
As the years have passed, the products have become increasingly mainstream, making the possibility of prohibition more remarkable.
The products have been sold at major retailers like Target and Circle K, as well as many smaller restaurants and retail locations.
Chicago’s mammoth Lollapalooza music festival, which wrapped up on Sunday, made headlines for selling THC drinks for the first time. The canned Señorita margarita-like beverages contained 5 milligrams of hemp-derived THC.
For the last two years, the National Restaurant Association Show has welcomed booths and samples from hemp-THC beverage makers.
Retailers and suppliers alike have launched targeted marketing campaigns, urging the public to reach out to elected officials in support of hemp-THC products.
California-based, low-dose THC beverage company Cann sent emails to customers asking them to tell Congress, “Hands off my Canns.”
“Let’s be real, Ben Franklin would have loved Cann,” the email said.
Heather Lalley is the director of communications for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. A lifelong journalist, Lalley has previously worked with industry publications including Restaurant Business, CSP Daily News, Supermarket News and Foodservice Director.