DELAWARE - Dewey Beer Co. is joining hemp producers across Delaware and the nation in opposing a last-minute federal amendment they say could devastate the hemp industry and jeopardize thousands of jobs.
The company said Wednesday that any changes to federal hemp laws should be made through open dialogue, transparency and scientific review not through what it calls rushed, last-minute legislation.
The amendment, known as Section 781 and effective Nov. 12, 2026, redefines hemp and bans most hemp-derived THC products. It limits all hemp products to 0.3 percent total THC in the plant and 0.4 mg total THC per container for finished products. It also bans synthetic or non-naturally occurring cannabinoids, such as HHC and THCP, and makes high-THCA flower and many full-spectrum CBD products illegal.
The United States Hemp Roundtable warn the change could threaten much of the $7 billion hemp industry, and lawmakers plan to push revisions before the ban takes effect.
The amendment requires action from the FDA, which has 90 days until Feb. 10, 2026 to publish a list of cannabinoids naturally occurring in cannabis, a list of other cannabinoids, and guidance clarifying what counts as a "container" under the law.
Stephen Provost, owner of Scubees CBD Boutique, said the new amendment could be devastating for his business. "It's going to be detrimental to my business. Basically, it's going to shut me down overnight," he said. Provost called the move "crazy," noting that products like Hemp lotion, which many customers use for pain relief, are now being treated "as having some heroin now, which is just kind of ridiculous."
Industry leaders argue that the hemp sector was built in good faith under the bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill, which created a clear legal pathway for farmers, small businesses and manufacturers to grow and innovate responsibly. They warn that reversing that progress could force family-run operations to close, eliminate jobs and wipe out years of investment.