Op-Ed: Congress Needs to Keep the Hemp Loophole Closed to Protect Georgians

By: Royal Anderson

As a registered nurse, I’ve dedicated my career towards helping patients here in Georgia that need access to medical care. Part of that responsibility is staying up to date on new medications, new treatments, and new threats to patient health. And when I’m not treating patients, it’s important for me to speak up when I see a preventable danger putting families at risk. Today, that danger is the unregulated sale of intoxicating hemp products.

 Just a few years ago, I wasn’t tracking hemp-derived THC products. And like many others, I would have said that Congress allowing a cannabinoid to be sold without any regulation was ridiculous. Then, Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which contained a loophole that opened the doors for intoxicating hemp products to flood our communities. These products were sold in every corner of our state, in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores, through a market that operated with little oversight, no age requirements, no child-resistant packaging, and no testing requirements to ensure their safety.

 Georgia took action to regulate these products and protect consumers. But the loophole means unregulated products from other states can still make their way into our communities. As a nurse, I find that lack of regulatory guardrails deeply troubling. Consumers often assume that because these products are widely sold, they have been thoroughly tested and reviewed for safety. In many cases, that simply isn’t true.

 The reality is that many hemp-derived THC products can have detrimental health effects, as they contain highly concentrated cannabinoids or synthetic compounds. To make matters worse, these products are often mislabeled, and in some cases contain pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial solvents. Yet despite these serious health risks, children and young adults can easily access these products, many of which closely resemble candy, cookies, or other snacks that appeal to children.

 As these products made their way across our state, Georgians had to deal with the consequences. Data from the Georgia Poison Center shows that poison control received more calls involving hemp-derived edible products during the first eight months of 2025 than it did during all of 2024. The result is a wave of preventable hospitalizations affecting people of all ages.

 Fortunately, Congress recognized the problem and acted last November to close the loophole that allowed these products to proliferate. That decision reflected a simple principle: products capable of causing intoxication should meet basic safety standards before they’re sold to the public.

 Now, however, there are efforts lobbying Congress to reopen the same loophole that created this unregulated marketplace and puts our communities at risk. Georgia needs its congressional delegation to make sure that loophole stays closed.

 Instead of allowing bad actors to continue selling intoxicating products without regulations, the loophole should remain closed so that states can regulate hemp the way they regulate marijuana or alcohol: with strong and enforceable standards, age-gating, clear labeling, and strict rules about where these products can be sold and to whom. That approach protects consumers while making sure that hemp farmers across the state can continue selling properly regulated products.

 Georgia families deserve to feel confident that products sold in neighborhood stores have been subject to reasonable safety standards. Parents shouldn’t have to worry their kids will find a package of gummies that contains enough THC to send their child to the emergency room. And healthcare providers need action from lawmakers to prevent poisonings and side effects from intoxicating substances. I urge our members of Congress to make sure the hemp loophole stays closed.