State lawmakers in Massachusetts say a bill to regulate intoxicating hemp products is unlikely to pass this year despite their insistence that regulations are needed. 

Massachusetts has legalized and regulated medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis, and both are tightly regulated under state law. Hemp products, however, are generally legal under federal law but unregulated at the state level. As a result, hemp products are widely available at retailers including gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops throughout the Bay State without regulations governing their sale, including minimum age requirements.

On Tuesday, the state legislature’s Joint Committees on Agriculture and Cannabis Policy held an oversight hearing to consider proposals to regulate ingestible hemp products that contain THC. Democratic state Representative Paul Schmid, co-chair of the Agriculture Committee, decried the current regulatory environment for intoxicating hemp products at the end of the joint hearing.

“My goodness,” Schmid exclaimed, WBUR local news reported on Thursday. “We have a situation where intoxicating hemp products are being produced, probably from hemp that isn’t grown in Massachusetts, in labs that have no supervision, being put into packages that have no age requirements, and they’re competing with our lawful cannabis retailers. This is a heck of a situation.” 

The oversight hearing was held because of confusion in the state government about who is responsible for regulating hemp products and enforcing the regulations. At the hearing, state agencies including the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Cannabis Control Commission offered input to lawmakers. 

Kimberly Roy, a member of the Cannabis Control Commission, said that hemp products the agency had tested by an independent lab often had 15 to 30 contaminants. She also said that licensed cannabis operators are being squeezed by competition from unregulated hemp products.

“Licensees who have in some cases spent a large portion of their personal savings and devoted their professional lives to building a compliant, regulated business are faced with the demoralizing site of intoxicating cannabinoid products being sold down the street with no regulation, no testing, and no protection for children,” said Roy.

DPH and MDAR maintained that unregulated intoxicating hemp products are illegal. Last month, the two agencies released guidance warning that it is illegal to sell edible hemp products outside of a regulated dispensary. But regulation is the responsibility of local health boards already strained by a shortage of resources.

“The current situation is untenable. The joint guidance is very welcome and it is going to assist in our ability to enforce, but it’s not a silver bullet,” said Cheryl Sbarra, the head of the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards. “We’re still going to see those [hemp] Skittles and gummies, and beverages out there. We really can’t respond in force as quickly as we need to or with the clarity that we need.”

After the hearing, lawmakers said legislation to regulate intoxicating hemp products is needed but unlikely to be ready before the current legislative session ends on July 31. Schmid said he expects the issue to be taken up again during the next session, which won’t be until next year.

“We hope that we can work with those who testified today to solve this issue, but we realize that a well-thought-out solution will require continued conversations into the next session and beyond,” Schmid said in a statement, according to a report from CommonWealth Beacon. “As was highlighted in the hearing, this is a matter that involves significant portions of local, state, and federal law, whose concerns must all be satisfied.”

Pete Gallagher, CEO and co-founder of Massachusetts-based medical and adult-use cannabis multistate operator Insa, applauded efforts to regulate intoxicating hemp products while criticizing the delay.

“We are encouraged that lawmakers are focused on the public health concerns related to intoxicating hemp, but we are discouraged by the pace of progress. Intoxicating hemp represents a significant public health threat and an existential risk to the regulated cannabis market,” Gallagher wrote in a statement emailed to High Times. “The regulated cannabis industry employs tens of thousands of people in Massachusetts and generates more than $200 million in tax revenue for Massachusetts. Without stronger, swifter action by legislators and regulators, the safety of the general public, Massachusetts cannabis workers, and cannabis tax revenue are at significant risk.”

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The cannabis cup is virtual this year—virtually awesome, that is, with our People’s Choice Edition making it possible to judge safely from the comfort of your home. Here are the well-deserved winners of the Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2021.

Thank you to all the judges who put their hearts and souls into judging the competition entries to help crown the best of Massachusetts! This is the first-ever High Times Cannabis Cup to be held in “The Bay State” of Massachusetts. We can’t wait to return next year!

For more info on how to become a judge and to sign up for updates, please visit CannabisCup.com/preregister.

Indica Flower

First Place: Bountiful Farms – Secret Formula

Second Place: Northeast Alternatives – Runtz

Third Place: Rythm – Brownie Scout

Fourth Place: Apothca – Vanilla Gorilla

Fifth Place: Trulieve – Banana OG

Sativa Flower

First Place: Happy Valley – Super Lemon Haze

Second Place: Bountiful Farms – Piña Grande

Third Place: Berkshire Roots – Orange Chemeleon

Fourth Place: Rythm – Tahitian Punch

Fifth Place: Apothca – Honolulu

Hybrid Flower

First Place: Happy Valley – White Wedding

Second Place: Northeast Alternatives – Ice Cream Man

Third Place: Nature’s Heritage – Crescendo

Fourth Place: Sira Naturals – Wedding Cake

Fifth Place: Rev Clinics – Gelato #33

Pre-Rolls

First Place: Nova Farms – Southie Sundaze Infused Blunt

Second Place: Yamna – Tropicanna Cookies Cannagar

Third Place: Triple M – Triple Monster Infused Pre-Roll

Fourth Place: Insa – Kush Mints Pre-Roll

Fifth Place: Funky Monkey – Tropic Truffle Monkey Bones Pre-Roll

Concentrates

First Place: Rythm – Energize Durban Live Resin Sugar

Second Place: Bountiful Farms – Garlic Juice Live Rosin

Third Place: Nova Farms – Southie Adams – GMO Live Hash Rosin

Fourth Place: Northeast Alternatives – Tangerine Cookies OG Diamonds

Fifth Place: Berkshire Roots – Zombie Virus Crumble

Sativa Vape Pens

FIrst Place: Insa – Clementine Sativa Vape

Second Place: Pioneer Valley – Mango Super Silver Haze Sativa Vape

Third Place: Fernway – Red Headed Stranger Sativa Vape

Fourth Place: Happy Valley – T. Sage Sativa Vape

Fifth Place: HÅVN Extracts – Durban Poison Solventless Terpene Sativa Vape

Indica Vape Pens

First Place: Church – Watermelon Zkittlez Indica Vape

Second Place: HÅVN Extracts – Hindu Kush Solventless Terpene Indica Vape

Third Place: Rove – Skywalker Indica Vape

Fourth Place: Rythm – Brownie Scout Indica Vape

Fifth Place: Insa – Zlife Indica Vape

Edibles: Gummies

First Place: HÅVN Extracts – Lemon Sour Amnesia Gummies

Second Place: Happy Valley – Strawberry Margarita Gummies

Third Place: Marmas – Blue Raspberry Gummies

Fourth Place: Cannatini – Cranberry Lime Mojito Gummies

Fifth Place: Insa – Black Cherry Sleepy Drops

Edibles: Chocolate Non-Gummies

First Place: Insa – Double Caramel Sea Salt Chocolate Bar

Second Place: Coast Cannabis – S’mores Chocolate Bar

Third Place: Koko Gemz – Cookies & Cream Chocolates

Fourth Place: Pioneer Valley – Habañero Dark Chocolate Bites

Fifth Place: Cheeba Chews – Trifecta Caramel Taffy

Edibles: Fruity Non-Gummies

First Place: Hi Burst – Raspberry Lemonade Fruit Chews

Second Place: Forbidden Fruit – Dried Mango THC Slices

Third Place: Berkshire Roots – White Peach Roots Fruits Pâte de Fruit

Fourth Place: Nova Farms – Strawberry Honey Sticks

Fifth Place: Incredibles – Fruit Trio Tarts

Topicals and Tinctures

First Place: Treeworks – Daily Drops Sunrise Punch

Second Place: Happy Valley – Remedy Tincture

Third Place: Sira Naturals – Nordic Goddess Body Balm

Fourth Place: Doctor Solomon’s – Doze Drops

Fifth Place: Insa – Tropical Express Tincture

The post The Winners of The Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2021 appeared first on High Times.

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