U.S. Senate Approves Bill That Would Delay Federal Hemp Restrictions
- The U.S. Senate approved a funding bill delaying most new federal restrictions on hemp-derived products from November 12 to December 11, allowing more time for lawmakers to consider alternatives.
- The bill postpones provisions that would remove most intoxicating hemp products and many full-spectrum CBD products from the federally legal market.
- Restrictions on products containing synthetic cannabinoids will still take effect on November 12, but other changes, including a new 0.4 mg THC per container limit, are delayed until December 11.
- The House must approve the Senate bill or negotiate a final version before it can be sent to President Trump for signing into law.
The U.S. Senate has given approval to a government funding bill that would delay most of the new federal restrictions on hemp-derived products from November 12 until December 11, giving lawmakers more time to consider alternatives to the forthcoming law change.
Along with maintaining federal funding through December 11, the measure would postpone several provisions enacted by Congress last year that are expected to remove most intoxicating hemp products and many full-spectrum CBD products from the federally legal market.
Under the legislation, the November 12 restrictions would initially apply only to intermediate and finished products containing cannabinoids that cannot naturally be produced by the cannabis plant. Products containing those non-naturally occurring synthetic cannabinoids would therefore still lose their federal hemp status as scheduled.
Other provisions would be delayed until December 11, including a new limit of 0.4 milligrams of combined total THC per container.
The delay would also temporarily hold back provisions switching the federal hemp standard from delta-9 THC to total THC, including tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), and excluding naturally occurring cannabinoids manufactured outside the cannabis plant.
Congress approved the restrictions in November 2025 as part of legislation funding the federal government. The changes were given a 365-day implementation period and are currently scheduled to take effect November 12, 2026.
Existing federal law generally defines hemp as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. The pending changes would use a broader total-THC calculation while establishing the per-container limit.
The House approved a separate continuing resolution in July that would fund the government through December 4 but does not include the hemp provision. The House must now approve the Senate legislation or the two chambers must reach an agreement on a final version before it can be sent to President Trump.