April 23, 2023

Why Arkansas' Senate Bill 358 is Terrible

The hemp industry is under attack. All across the country (including here in Texas), lawmakers are introducing prohibitionist bills that could severely derail the hemp industry within their states. But in Arkansas, Senate Bill 358 has passed, and it might be the worst piece of hemp legislation in the country.

So join Hometown Hero CEO and Co-Founder Lukas Gilkey as he breaks down this piece of legislation and why it will kill the Arkansas hemp industry in the YouTube video below:*

*This video was shot before Arkansas SB 358 was signed into law by the governor. Please check back with us as we explore potential litigation.

0.3%...Cannabidiol? No flower?

As of this writing, most states (and the federal government) define hemp as cannabis sativa with a 0.3% or lower concentration of Delta-9 THC by dry weight. However, SB 358 seeks to define hemp as cannabis with a 0.3% concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) by dry weight and then lower the Delta-9 THC threshold to just a mere 0.1%. And then, the bill takes it a step further by removing all flower as being defined as a hemp-derived products.

Banning Non-Hemp-derived "Substances?"

And just when you thought SB 358 couldn't go any further, it goes on to ban combining hemp-derived cannabinoids/other compounds with non-hemp-derived substances. The bill goes on to list:

Any liquid
Hydrocolloid
Animal-based substance
Thickener
Sweetener
Flavoring
Synthetic Product
Propylene glycol
Vegetable glycerine
Other non-hemp-derived substance

Even if you reach the 0.3%/0.1% limit, you can't make products such as edibles and more. Combining hemp-derived cannabinoids with anything not derived from hemp is now forbidden in Arkansas.

Stay Up-to-Date

From start to finish, SB 358 was a ridiculous bill, and unfortunately, it has become law. However, the fight for hemp-derived cannabinoids across the country isn't over. For more updates and info on all things hemp, you can check out our other videos in this series: