WSWA repeats call for cannabis legalisation
The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) has reiterated its call to regulate cannabis using the alcohol regulatory system, following a move that could ban intoxicating hemp products in the US.
The WSWA made the comment in response to a bipartisan amendment to the Farm Bill seeking to ban intoxicating hemp products from the market. The trade body believes that “prohibition is not the answer”.
“Now is the time for federal regulation – not prohibition,” said WSWA president and CEO Francis Creighton. “Lawmakers need not look too far back in history to learn from the beverage alcohol marketplace and know, without a doubt, that prohibition isn’t the answer.
“Congress should be focused on protecting public safety and empowering states to regulate the sale of these products – just as federal regulations for alcohol have done for 90-plus years.”
The alteration seeks to ban intoxicating hemp products by removing them from the definition of legal hemp. If this move is authorised, then alcoholic hemp products could be removed from shelves across the US.
WSWA said that it supports the regulation of THC, whether it comes from hemp or cannabis.
In March 2021, the trade association proposed regulations for the legal sale of cannabis in the US based on the alcohol supply chain model. The WSWA represents the distribution tier of the wine and spirits industry, and became the first trade body to advocate for federal cannabis use in the US.
The WSWA’s recommended framework is built on four rules that govern the alcohol industry: the federal permitting of cannabis producers, importers, testing facilities and distributors; federal approval and regulation of cannabis products and product labels; efficient and effective collection of federal excise tax; and effective measures to ensure public safety.
WSWA executive vice-president of government affairs Dawson Hobbs added: “We’ve just completed the first lap of a long-distance race.
“There are a lot of mileposts along the way where this can be changed. One of the benefits of this amendment is that it brought the conversation to the forefront.”
Related news
Spirited Awards selects US nominees
