# Does this congressional ban on hemp-derived THC products affect state-level marijuana legalization **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 14, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844 "2025-11-14T00:16:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/1 "2025-11-14T00:16:19Z")
Apparently the bill that the POTUS signed, following the shutdown, [bans hemp-derived THC products](https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/11/13/shutdown-hemp-ban-explained/). Except I already thought that was the case, considering THC’s status as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. Regardless, it seems that on just about every street corner, to hear some Republicans tell it, are THC products being sold at the convenience store or whatever, even in states that haven’t legalized the Devil’s Lettuce. I’m not sure what, if any, affect this will have on the quasi-legal marijuana industry at the state level. Yes, THC remains illegal as a matter of federal law, but the feds have been looking the other way at legal state markets since an [Obama-administration memo](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=e4bda9fb0a0fa74bd715755e496afcf82072d825b1a6bfb09e0c18d0a9fcfc5fJmltdHM9MTc2Mjk5MjAwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=00d20a8f-6b5b-6c95-0cd7-1f166a746db7&psq=obama+memo+state+marijuana&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuanVzdGljZS5nb3YvYXJjaGl2ZXMvb3BhL3ByL2p1c3RpY2UtZGVwYXJ0bWVudC1pc3N1ZXMtbWVtby1tYXJpanVhbmEtZW5mb3JjZW1lbnQ), one that the Biden and Trump administrations have appeared to continue to follow. So does this law effectively end the state-level legal pot trade? ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/2 "2025-11-14T01:15:19Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > oes this law effectively end the state-level legal pot trade My understanding is that the law proposes to reclassify the products sold as THC-A as illegal and it would not impact state regulated cannabis sales. In very simple terms, THC-A is sold nationwide with limited restrictions and is legal due to a loophole in a 2018 farm bill. THC-A is virtually indistinguishable from regular TCH in terms of potency. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/3 "2025-11-14T01:15:52Z")
I live outside a small to medium town of 10k people in Oregon. There are eight pot dispenseries in town. Eight. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/4 "2025-11-14T01:36:47Z")
Hmmm. When Missouri first legalized the Sticky Icky, the plan was to allow one dispensary per State Police district. I’m pretty sure that that’s gone by the wayside now, as Rolla (population: 20,000 ish) has at least two. I don’t think the State Police district map cuts Rolla in half, but I could be wrong. Joplin (population: 50,000 ish) has at least three. Not saying how I know. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/5 "2025-11-18T07:48:17Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > I live outside a small to medium town of 10k people in Oregon. There are eight pot dispenseries in town. Eight. Is that Ontario? Yelp lists a dozen pot shops there. Google doesn’t show the usual display when asked for a type of business, but a couple-three years ago it had 14 in Ontario. Of course there’s a reason for so many in Ontario and the size of the town is irrelevant. It has to do with the state line and what’s on the other side of it. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/6 "2025-11-18T08:27:29Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > it seems that on just about every street corner, to hear some Republicans tell it, are THC products being sold at the convenience store or whatever, even in states that haven’t legalized the Devil’s Lettuce. Wisconsin hasn’t legalized marijuana for either recreational nor medical use. Yet I’ve seen THCa and Delta 8 products in oodles of gas stations, liquor stores, and convenient markets. So the claim that it’s everywhere is not without merit. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/7 "2025-11-18T13:45:34Z")
Curious, how many pubs/bars are there? If more than 8 why aren’t you pointing out that “excess” as well? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/8 "2025-11-18T20:47:14Z")
I’m not sure why you think I was pointing out an “excess” number of pot shops, that is just how many there are. They come into and go out of business all the time. It is Oregon so anyone who wants can just grow their own and not buy it. I still have several pounds left from my last grow. It is Astoria, Oregon, a small town of about 10k people. There are also 16 brew pubs in addition to the normal drinking establishments. Every place is brewing beer or spirits. What is hard to find is a family dining place that is not also a bar where you can take kids.You could probably have a light beer in every drinking place in town and not make it out of town for three days. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-congressional-ban-on-hemp-derived-thc-products-affect-state-level-marijuana-legalization/1024844/9 "2025-11-19T03:46:31Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > I’m not sure why you think I was pointing out an “excess” number of pot shops, that is just how many there are. Yes, but it is a pretty excessive number on a per capita basis. I don’t partake, but I did a google search for them in Hillsboro, where I live. It showed about 10, but Hillsboro is 10 times the size of Astoria. I expect Astoria has so many per capita because tourism is a big part of its economy.