Well, as you may have already heard, there is a new law going into effect here in Iowa, concerning the Consumable Hemp Program. As of July 1st, 2024, it will now be illegal to sell Consumable Hemp Products to people under the age of 21, as well as to administer hemp to children under the age of 18.
As of July 1st, 2024, it will now be illegal to sell Consumable Hemp Products to people under the age of 21, as well as to administer hemp to children under the age of 18.
There will also be a cap of 10 mg THC per container and no more than 4 mg THC per serving. The THC seltzers won’t be able to be any stronger than 4 mg THC per can. Synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta-8 THC and Delta-10 THC will be illegal, but there is no way of knowing if a manufacturer is selling synthetic Delta-9 THC. From our understanding, the state is simply asking manufacturers if their Delta-9 THC products are made from synthetic cannabinoids, but there is no way of knowing from the Certificate of Analysis (COA) if they are, or not.
A lot of people have reached out to us to ask if this new law will negatively affect our business and, fortunately, it will not. Our Full Spectrum Gummies are at 9.6 mg THC per container, so they are just under the maximum legally allowed. Our last batch of Full Spectrum Oil would have been out of compliance, at a total of 22 mg THC per container. We’ve recently sold out of that batch, and we are in the midst of making our next batch, which we are formulating to have less THC.
We are discouraged that the state is limiting the amount of THC per container because our original Full Spectrum Oil formulation was compliant, at below .3% THC. Although we don’t believe that people are buying our Full Spectrum Oil to get high, we do think it’s worth fighting the state to allow for more THC per container. They are lumping our products in with other products being sold in Iowa that are designed to have several mg of THC per serving. If someone took the suggested dosage of our Full Spectrum Oil, they would get 60 servings per 1 oz bottle. Couldn’t we just exploit the loophole and make our original formulation of Full Spectrum Oil and bottle it in 1/2 oz bottles? Yes, we could.
Although change can be discouraging, we are feeling confident that business will carry on the same as usual for us, if not better, since we offer naturally occurring, low THC products, like always.
We are a hemp farm that is making products from the naturally occurring cannabinoids that we grow on our farm. The ratio of cannabinoids that is present in our Full Spectrum Gummies and Oil is pretty close to the way nature made it. For example, our Full Spectrum Gummies are 35 mg CBG to .3 mg THC and our un-remediated CBG distillate (which we use to make our Full Spectrum Gummies and Oil) is 102.78 mg CBG to 1 mg THC.
We are a hemp farm that is making products from the naturally occurring cannabinoids that we grow on our farm.
We do find it incredibly concerning that it will now be illegal to give kids hemp products within the state of Iowa. We suppose the state is concerned that parents will be giving their kids THC through the Consumable Hemp Program. But don’t Iowan’s know what’s best for their kids? We’re not saying that THC is what’s best for kids, but sometimes a little THC can help, especially when combined with other cannabinoids. There are many other non-psychoactive cannabinoids out there (for example, all the other cannabinoids), such as CBG, CBD, and CBC that will not leave kids feeling intoxicated, like THC can. To lump all cannabinoids into the same category as THC, seems unfair.
We understand the need to have an age restriction on hemp products in Iowa, as there wasn’t an age restriction implemented previously. Anything over 1 mg of THC is considered psychoactive, so kids should not be able to purchase these products. The human brain is not finished growing until the age of 26, so THC can be damaging to kids under this age, especially for boys, who mature later than girls.
We applaud the Governor for making synthetic cannabinoids illegal. We don’t understand why anyone would choose to go the synthetic route, but we get the impression that most people don’t have any idea that they are consuming synthetic cannabinoids. And those who chose to do so, are probably doing so to consume higher amounts of THC without paying the price (or getting a medical card) associated with naturally occurring high-THC products.
We have not knowingly consumed synthetic THC, but many people tell us that these high Delta-9 THC products available in Iowa tend to make them feel dizzy and light-headed. And those who have consumed Delta-8 THC products report getting sick, getting sucked down the rabbit hole, and some end up in the Emergency Room. We can’t say that for sure, but it seems that a Delta-9 THC product that makes you feel dizzy and lightheaded may be from synthetic THC. Or maybe the dizziness happens because these products are made from isolated Delta-9 THC and fail to offer the entourage effect of multiple cannabinoids working together.
Naturally occurring THC that is combined with other cannabinoids is more likely to make you feel relaxed, grounded, calm, paranoid, anxious – lots of feelings – but it shouldn’t make you feel dizzy and light-headed (unless you’re combing it with alcohol).
We are glad that the Consumable Hemp Program in Iowa will no longer be allowing synthetic products to be sold. You can, however, still purchase synthetic cannabinoids through the state’s Medical Cannabidiol Program. If you are a medical cannabis patient in Iowa, you should ask to see the COA for the product that you are purchasing – this should be made available, and honestly, should be posted on their website, next to each product being sold. But we don’t believe this is the case, as there are clearly different rules being implemented in the Medical Cannabidiol Program vs. the Consumable Hemp Program in Iowa.
At Four Winds Farm, we will continue to grow and manufacture naturally occurring cannabinoid products, like we always have.
At Four Winds Farm, we will continue to grow and manufacture naturally occurring cannabinoid products, like we always have. Cannabis is a special and unique plant that has been with us for thousands of years. We don’t think there is any need to alter the chemical structure of any cannabinoid to change the effect that it can offer. Leave nature alone and appreciate its offerings in the form that it was created. If you want or need high THC products, go to a state that offers it, but know it would be illegal to bring it back home to Iowa.