A buried provision in the GOP’s spending bill devastates America’s $28.4 billion hemp industry overnight, crushing 300,000 jobs and forcing law-abiding farmers into bankruptcy.
Story Highlights
- New federal law caps THC at 0.4 milligrams per container, eliminating 95% of hemp products.
- 300,000 American jobs threatened as $28.4 billion industry faces destruction.
- The Senate overwhelmingly rejected Sen. Rand Paul’s amendment to protect farmers.
- Veterans and seniors lose access to non-intoxicating pain relief products.
Hidden Provision Blindsides Thriving American Industry
President Trump signed a federal spending bill containing a little-noticed provision that effectively bans most THC-infused products currently sold legally across America.
The new restriction limits products to just 0.4 milligrams of THC per container, a threshold so low it eliminates nearly all hemp-derived gummies, drinks, topical treatments, and vapes.
This regulatory sledgehammer targets an industry that emerged from the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp legalization, which created opportunities for American farmers and entrepreneurs to build legitimate businesses serving consumers seeking natural wellness alternatives.
Good. Last thing we ever needed. American kids are already struggling in focus and to keep up in math. This would only make things worse.
Hemp-derived THC drinks, edibles could soon disappear because of shutdown bill https://t.co/kG80nk3Hrk
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) November 13, 2025
Economic Devastation Hits Rural America Hardest
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable projects catastrophic consequences, warning the measure “threatens to eliminate America’s $28.4 billion hemp industry and jeopardizes more than 300,000 American jobs.”
Industry analysts estimate 95% of the current market will vanish, forcing small businesses and family farms nationwide to shut down while costing states $1.5 billion in tax revenue.
Hemp farmer Stacy from Woodstock, Illinois, explained the personal toll during a C-Span call, stating her topical joint and muscle salve business faces complete closure despite selling non-intoxicating products that help customers manage pain naturally.
Senate Rejects Paul’s Pro-Farmer Amendment
Sen. Rand Paul attempted to strip the hemp restrictions from the spending bill, offering an amendment to protect American agricultural interests. However, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to table Paul’s amendment, ignoring warnings about timing and economic impact.
Paul argued on the Senate floor that this “couldn’t come at a worse time for America’s farmers” and would “eradicate the hemp industry.” The rejection demonstrates how quickly Congress can destroy years of agricultural investment and job creation through buried legislative provisions, leaving farmers like Stacy with just one year to wind down operations they spent years building.
Legitimate Users Face Federal Criminalization
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable reveals that over 90% of non-intoxicating hemp-derived products exceed the new 0.4 milligram limit, meaning seniors, veterans, and others using them for pain management or sleep will suddenly violate federal law.
This regulatory overreach forces Americans who rely on natural, non-intoxicating alternatives into a potential criminal status while “disrupting their care and leaving them scrambling for potentially harmful alternatives.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell supports the provision, arguing companies “exploited” hemp legalization by creating intoxicating substances, though critics question whether destroying an entire legitimate industry addresses specific bad actors effectively.
