U.S. Attorneys General Ask Congress for Hemp Guidance

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Congress last week seeking clarification on the federal definition of hemp. Submitted by 39 state and territory U.S. attorneys general, the letter suggests that the growing national marketplace for hemp-derived THC products is based on a misinterpretation of the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp provisions.

“We, the undersigned Attorneys General, write concerning a provision of the 2018 Farm Bill that has been wrongly exploited by bad actors to sell recreational synthetic THC products across the country. We ask that Congress clarify the federal definition of hemp during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process or through the reauthorization of the Farm Bill to leave no doubt that these harmful products are illegal and that their sale and manufacture are criminal acts.” — Excerpt from the letter

In the letter, the attorneys general ask Congress to take action on the issue by defining more clearly what constitutes hemp under federal law.

NAAG is a non-partisan organization representing attorneys general throughout the 50 U.S. states, U.S. territories, and in Washington D.C.

Arkansas AG Tim Griffin, Connecticut AG William Tong, Indiana AG Todd Rokita, and Minnesota AG Keith Ellison all co-sponsored the letter. Additionally, the attorneys general from the following states joined the bipartisan coalition: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.