What is NHAs Position on the Delta 8 Controversy?
Obviously the issue of Delta-8 has been a hot topic in the industry and one that we have spent a lot of time discussing. NHA acknowledges that we know all of the issues are being looked at and debated in public, within government agencies and within the industry. States are taking their own approaches with some moving to completely ban it while other are turning a blind eye and taking no action.
We believe that introducing intoxicating substances produced from hemp is in direct contradiction to the intent of the 2018 Farm Bill and that it undermines the messaging we have used for years in convincing legislators and rule makers that hemp isn’t about getting high. However, it is also true that D8 has been a lifeline for many farmers and producers in light of the oversaturation of the CBD market. For many it raises issues of freedom and highlights the absurdity of cannabis laws in general. Intentional or not, it definitely blurs the lines between hemp and adult use/high THC cannabis.
We realize that there is no position NHA could take that would please everyone. The truth is that there are reasons to be both for and against it. After careful consideration we have decided that our official position is to remain agnostic on the issue. We will remain honest and transparent in all of our conversations when it comes to warning against the legal challenges surrounding Delta-8 products for producers and consumers, the challenges that promoting D8 thrusts on the rest of the hemp industry and the potential regulatory backlash we may collectively face. As always, we stress that consumer safety should be the top priority for all D8 manufacturers. What we will not do is take a moralistic or ethical position for or against it.