Indiana lawmakers are focusing on regulating Delta-8 and other hemp-derived products, rather than traditional marijuana. This shift in attention comes as a result of the federal government’s recent passage of a bill that will close a loophole allowing Delta-8 to flourish. The loophole allowed manufacturers to create psychoactive products derived from hemp, which contains less than 0.3% of Delta-9 THC, the substance associated with getting high.
Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray has expressed his intent to pass a bill this session that aligns with the federal legislation, which is set to take effect in November. The bill would create a new licensing structure for hemp products and establish dosage and age limits.
Several bills have been introduced in the Indiana legislature to regulate Delta-8 and other hemp-derived products. Senate Bill 250 would change the state’s definition of low-THC hemp to align with the new federal law, making Delta-8 illegal. House Bill 1130 would preserve the old definition of low-THC hemp and allow its sale under a regulated, permitted structure, with dosage limits and age restrictions.
Other bills introduced in the House of Representatives aim to prohibit the sale of hemp-derived THC products to individuals under 21, without changing the definitions. None of the bills currently introduced in the legislature address traditional marijuana regulation.
Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray emphasized that regulating Delta-8 and other hemp-derived products is a separate issue from traditional marijuana regulation. He does not see the passage of these bills as a sign that Indiana will move towards legalizing traditional marijuana in the near future.
