WSWA Launches Educational Resource on Intoxicating Hemp Beverages

*WASHINGTON* — Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), the national
trade association representing wine and spirits distributors, launched a
new educational microsite dedicated to the regulation of intoxicating
hemp-derived beverages, offering a comprehensive, fact-based resource on
one of the fastest-growing and least understood segments of the adult
beverage marketplace.

As intoxicating hemp beverages continue to proliferate nationwide, the
category has outpaced clear regulatory guidance for businesses,
policymakers, and consumers. WSWA’s new microsite details how a modern,
effective regulatory framework would ensure consumer safety, product
integrity, and marketplace accountability.

The microsite outlines why WSWA believes intoxicating hemp beverages should
be regulated in a manner consistent with alcohol, leveraging a system that
prioritizes age verification, product standards, taxation, and state-level
control over retail sales.

Absent clear federal direction, several states have filled the void by
regulating these beverages like alcohol. Consistent federal standards for
production and interstate commerce would establish a national baseline, not
override state authority but provide consistency where it matters most.

The microsite provides:

- Key data on the size, growth, and trajectory of the hemp industry.
- A breakdown of regulatory gaps and risks in the current environment.
- An interactive map tracking state-level approaches and legislative
activity.
- Educational tools, including a glossary and downloadable materials for
policymakers, media, and stakeholders.

The resource also outlines what a comprehensive federal regulatory
structure could look like, providing a roadmap grounded in decades of
experience with beverage alcohol oversight.

“If Congress fails to act, these products face a real risk of being removed
from the shelves of licensed, responsible retail stores in November but
would still be available to consumers through multiple
other unregulated channels,” said WSWA President and CEO Francis
Creighton. “Intoxicating products, including hemp beverages, need a clear,
workable framework that protects public health and public safety while
allowing responsible businesses to operate.”

WSWA has long cautioned that outright prohibition or regulatory ambiguity
will not eliminate consumer demand but instead risks shifting sales into
unregulated channels – particularly online – where age verification and
product safety controls are often limited or nonexistent.

By contrast, a consistent, enforceable federal framework would bring
transparency and accountability to a rapidly evolving category while
preserving state authority over how these products are sold.