A federal judge has given hope to 10 companies looking to block the enforcement of a new Iowa law, which they argue unfairly prevents them from selling products containing hemp-derived THC.
During a hearing about their request for an injunction against the law, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose stated that their argument that the law is unconstitutional is unlikely to succeed. However, she acknowledged that there may be merit to their claim that the state is applying the law in a discriminatory manner.
The Hemp Amendments, a law passed by the Iowa Legislature during this year’s session, became effective on July 1. Under this law, the sale of hemp products to individuals under the age of 21 is prohibited. It also mandates compliance with new regulations that restrict the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) allowed in a serving and requires specific labeling, according to media sources.
Rose already turned down an injunction request by two of them: Field Day, a Johnson County maker of THC sparkling water, and Climbing Kites, a Des Moines-based joint venture of the Lua and Big Grove breweries, maker of a THC-containing seltzer. She rejected their argument that the law was unconstitutional because it failed to define a serving size but said at the time that she had “serious concerns” about how the law would be enforced.