In 2018, the federal government passed the Agricultural Improvement Act, more commonly known the Farm Bill. The bill included legislation to make changes to SNAP, increase funding for conservation efforts, maintain disaster programs, improve crop insurance, and more.
What federal lawmakers didn't know they had done is inadvertently legalize part of the marijuana plant and the intoxicating products that could come from it.
While Congress caused this problem Missouri and other state legislators are now dealing with the unintentional consequences of the bill.
The bill opened a loophole that has allowed some retailers to sell intoxicating products containing delta-8, which is a psychoactive cannabinoid found in small amounts in the cannabis plant. As it stands now, hemp products are not subject to regulations and don't pay the same taxes as marijuana products. This has left law enforcement, the marijuana industry and health advocates asking Congress to close the loophole in the farm bill, while c-stores and hemp businesses have asked to keep the loophole open.
Red more at The Missouri Times