Minnesota greenlights small doses of THC derived from legal hemp

Among a suite of changes to the state’s hemp industry, up to 5 mg of hemp-derived THC will be allowed in food and beverages.

The Minnesota Legislature passed a sweeping set of hemp industry reforms Sunday night that will allow, among other things, small amounts of hemp-derived THC to be legally sold in edibles and drinks to those 21 and older.

“It’s really good for retailers, because it provides [legal] certainty, and also for consumers, because you have safety mechanisms in place,” said cannabis attorney Susan Burns.

Hemp and extracts like CBD have been legal so long as they contained less than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the primary intoxicant in marijuana.

But the intoxicating, hemp-derived cousin of delta-9 THC — delta-8 — is already being widely sold in Minnesota and has until now operated in an unregulated, legal gray area.

Now, hemp-derived THC — including delta-9 THC — in concentrations of up to 5 milligrams per serving and 50 mg per package will be allowed in properly labeled edibles and drinks in Minnesota. That’s about half the standard dose found in recreational marijuana products in other states. [Read More @ The Minneapolis Star Tribune]