Hemp Enforcement and Modernization Act

Summary#

This bill would add a new chapter to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to regulate cannabinoid hemp products. It defines the words "cannabinoid" and "cannabinoid hemp product" and creates categories for oral, inhalable, and topical products. The bill sets labeling and packaging rules, content limits, manufacturing and testing standards, facility registration and product listing requirements, authority to inspect foreign facilities, and a mandatory recall process. It also creates an advisory committee to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services and sets criminal penalties for knowingly introducing prohibited cannabinoid products into interstate commerce.

The bill sets a federal minimum sale age of 21 for cannabinoid hemp products. It requires the Secretary to publish a proposed rule on content thresholds within 60 days of enactment and to finalize the rule within 3 years. If the Secretary does not finalize the rule in time, the bill sets default numeric thresholds for cannabinoids for different product types.

What it means for you#

  • Consumers: Products that contain cannabinoids from hemp would need specific labels, testing information, and safety warnings. Retail sale is limited to people 21 and older. Some products could be banned if they exceed content limits, contain certain synthetic or genetically altered cannabinoids, or are intended for food-producing animals.
  • Retailers and manufacturers: Facilities that make, process, pack, import, label, or hold cannabinoid hemp products must register with the federal agency, list products, follow manufacturing and testing rules, and meet packaging and labeling standards. Inhalable products generally must be sold in prefilled, nonrefillable cartridges. Failure to comply can lead to product detention, seizure, suspension of facility registration, or criminal penalties.
  • Regulators: The Secretary must keep and update a list of compounds that count as cannabinoids, set content thresholds by rule, inspect domestic and foreign facilities, and can require recalls or stop distribution when products present serious health risks.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on projected costs to the federal government or to businesses in the bill text or metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata describing proponents' arguments or statements.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata describing opponents' arguments or statements.