Trump Urges Congress to Preserve CBD Access While Restricting Intoxicating Hemp Products
The president wants lawmakers to carve out protections for full-spectrum CBD before a November deadline eliminates most hemp-derived products from the legal market.
By CBDWorldNews Editorial Staff | April 30, 2026
President Donald Trump called on Congress this week to amend the federal hemp law that threatens to ban the vast majority of CBD products currently sold across the United States. His message was direct: protect consumers who rely on CBD while keeping restrictions on intoxicating hemp products that “pose health risks.”
The statement, shared on April 27, pushed lawmakers to act before the November 12, 2026, deadline when Section 781 of a recent spending bill will take effect. That provision caps total THC at 0.4 milligrams per container for finished hemp products — a limit so low it would make roughly 95% of CBD products on shelves today federally illegal.
What Section 781 Actually Does
The provision rewrites the federal definition of hemp in a way that sweeps far beyond its stated target of intoxicating products. Under the current 2018 Farm Bill framework, hemp products can contain up to 0.3% THC by dry weight. Section 781 replaces that standard with a per-container milligram cap.
For context, a standard 30-milliliter bottle of full-spectrum CBD oil typically contains between 1 and 5 milligrams of naturally occurring THC. Under the new rule, that bottle would be classified as a controlled substance.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable estimates the amended definition would eliminate approximately 95% of existing hemp-derived cannabinoid products. The trade group projects losses exceeding 300,000 jobs and $1.5 billion in aggregate state tax revenue.
“We must get this done RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who saw that CBD helps them.” — President Donald Trump
Three Bills Compete for a Fix
Multiple bipartisan proposals are now moving through Congress, each taking a different approach to the problem.
The Hemp Planting Predictability Act (H.R. 7024), introduced by Representative Baird (R-IN) in January, takes the simplest path: it pushes the effective date of Section 781 to November 2028, buying the industry two more years under current rules. The bill has bipartisan co-sponsors but doesn’t create a permanent regulatory framework.
The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, introduced by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) with co-sponsors Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), would hand regulatory authority to states and tribal governments. The approach mirrors how alcohol regulation works in practice — federal guardrails with state-level implementation.
The HEMP Act, from Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX), proposes the most detailed framework. It would establish federal standards for testing, labeling, and product safety while preserving market access for compliant products.
A fourth proposal, the Legal Hemp Protection Act drafted by Rep. Andy Barr on April 19, would route hemp-derived beverages through the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, creating age restrictions and retail licensing requirements alongside milligram caps set by the FDA.
Industry Faces a Ticking Clock
The November deadline creates urgency that the CBD industry hasn’t faced since the 2018 Farm Bill first legalized hemp. Companies are operating in a gray zone — their products are legal today but may not be in six months.
For manufacturers of full-spectrum CBD products, the stakes are particularly high. Full-spectrum formulations contain trace amounts of THC alongside other cannabinoids, terpenes, and plant compounds. Many consumers and researchers consider these products more effective than THC-free alternatives due to the so-called entourage effect.
Retailers, too, face difficult decisions. Ordering inventory for the holiday season means betting on whether Congress will act in time.
The market data supports the urgency. According to a USDA report released this month, U.S. hemp production value reached $739 million in 2025, a 64% jump from the previous year. Floral hemp — the category most affected by the THC cap — accounted for nearly 90% of all outdoor hemp value.
What Happens Next
Congressional staffers familiar with the negotiations say the likeliest outcome is some form of delay — pushing the effective date while a permanent framework gets hammered out. But even a delay requires floor time and votes, and the legislative calendar is crowded.
The CBD industry’s best-case scenario is a permanent framework that sets reasonable THC limits based on product type and serving size rather than a blanket per-container cap. The worst case: Congress doesn’t act, and the November deadline arrives with no fix in place.
For consumers who use CBD products and want to ensure they’re purchasing properly tested products with verified certificates of analysis, the message from industry groups is consistent — stock up and speak up. Several trade organizations are running campaigns encouraging CBD users to contact their representatives.
The next few months will determine whether the legal CBD market that emerged after the 2018 Farm Bill survives in its current form or gets rebuilt from scratch.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. CBD products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
