Experts Link Florida’s Cannabis Legalization Effort To ‘Monopolistic Goals,’ Offer A Blueprint For Hemp Regulation
Zuanic & Associates hosted an online panel, “The Hemp Derivatives Advocates” that brought together key players in the hemp industry to discuss the regulatory challenges around hemp-derived products.
In the midst of this national discussion, Christopher Lackner, president of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, JD McCormick, chairman of the American Healthy Alternatives Association, and Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, advocated a united front to face growing hemp restrictions. The situation in Florida got particular attention.
McCormick emphasized the impressive growth of hemp-derived products. Citing a sales report from Whitney Economics, he estimated the industry in the zone of $2.8 billion dollars a year.
“Many hemp retailers in states like Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina are doing hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales at the retail level a month, many millions of dollars a year,” he said.
Read Also: Strategy Shift In The Works? Are Cannabis Giants Getting Into The Hemp Derived-THC Market?
Proliferation Of THC Beverages
Lackner spoke about the potential of the hemp beverage market, which continues to gain momentum despite its relatively small size.
“There isn’t a Budweiser or a PepsiCo out there quite yet,” Lackner said, “but we are seeing a lot …