Ted Cruz Explains Vote to Keep Hemp THC Products Legal in First Senate Cannabis Vote

We just witnessed a historic, if somewhat frustrating, moment on the Senate floor. In the first standalone roll call vote regarding cannabis, Senator Rand Paul fought to block a federal ban on hemp-derived THC products. While the amendment was ultimately shot down, the real shocker was seeing Senator Ted Cruz join the effort to keep hemp legal. Cruz argued that a blanket federal prohibition is a mistake and that states should be free to set their own rules, much like the regulatory model used in Texas.

Unfortunately, the broader spending bill passed with restrictive language that could essentially wipe out the hemp market and crush local farmers. To make matters worse, lawmakers completely ignored a bipartisan plan that would have allowed VA doctors to finally recommend medical cannabis to our veterans.

For everyday enthusiasts, this is a wake-up call. It shows that even as we gain unlikely allies in DC, the old-school prohibitionists are still trying to restrict our access and kill industry jobs. Losing hemp-derived options would be a massive blow to accessibility for the community, proving we still have a long fight ahead for true cannabis freedom.