While the current standard in the US is that hemp must be less than 0.3% delta-9 THC, for many reasons farmers are eager to see it raised to 1%. Although the psychoactive threshold for THC is almost 1%, that’s only in the absence of CBD of which hemp has at least 10 to 30 times more than THC. With the higher CBD content mediating the effects of THC, 1% THC hemp is not a diversion threat.
Raising max THC to 1% will annually save hundreds of acres of mature hemp which would otherwise have to be destroyed for being slightly above 0.3%, even just 0.31% in some cases.
Plus it’s what we’ve talking about for the last 5 years: 1%. Just like Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, and many others. Even WV, before the 2018 Farm Bill.
Hemp plants higher in CBD and/or CBG are another benefit of raising max THC to 1%. That improves farmers’ yield and profitability, thus the interest in and sustainability of hemp farming in the US.
We have to consider now how hemp will change once marijuana is descheduled, such as with the MORE Act now in Congress, sponsored by VP-elect Harris. It’s conceivable some states will burden hemp with exorbitant marijuana fees. For instance, California has been hating on hemp since it destroyed the federally-legal crop in Brawley in 1994, then saddled farmers with the world’s worst hemp law. It is in that chaotic environment that we could get 1% max THC for hemp.
Allowing 1% hemp would drastically increase the number of cultivars or varieties of hemp available to American farmers, including those for fiber and seed, as well as CBD. Look at the following chart, at 1% many more varieties can be used.
