UPDATE 5.23.18

JUST waiting now for the Gov. to sign the bill - CLICK HERE to read the Hemp Foods Bill language. Thank you again for all of your support and efforts which made this possible. This is real time Hemp History.

4.3.18

GREAT NEWS THE HEMP FOODS BILL PASSED COMMITTEE WITH 100% YES VOTES!

 Update 4.2.18

Today is the day.

The one and only shot we will get. The Hemp Foods Bill will go before committee today and CDPHE will try to kill our bill. We need every body there to testify in favor of the bill and ask for a  Yes vote.

Committee is today at 1:30pm although there is a bill before us, so if you came around 2:30 or 3:00, it would be fine. The hemp foods bill will be heard in House Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources in room HCR 0107 (first floor)

If you can no make or send anyone down from your company to testify please write a letter on your company letter head asking for a yes vote on the Hemp Foods Bill 1295 and send to GHC via email and we will print out and give to the committee today. This must be done asap. Thank you. PLEASE EMAIL LETTER TO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and copy and paste these address in and send to as well.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can also listen remotely to testimony today - https://leg.colorado.gov/committee/granicus/1220641

Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources - Committee Members

Representative Jeni Arndt - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  303-866-2917

Representative Perry Buck - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2907

Representative Chris Hansen - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2967

Representative Hugh McKean - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2947

Representative Donald Valdez - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2916

Representative Daneya Esgar - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2968

Representative Marc Catlin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2955

Representative Dominique Jackson - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-3911

Representative Dylan Roberts - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2923

Representative Jon Becker - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-3706

Representative Jessie Danielson - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-5522

Representative Kimmi Lewis - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2398

Representative Lori Saine - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - 303-866-2906

________________________________________________________

UPDATE 3.15.18

HUGE NEWS! The Hemp Foods Bill is officially here!

CLICK HERE to read

 HB18-1295

 Hemp Products Deemed Not Adulterated Or Misbranded

 Concerning modifications to the "Colorado Food and Drug Act" to allow products containing industrial hemp, and, in connection therewith, establishing that products containing industrial hemp are not adulterated or misbranded by virtue of containing industrial hemp.

The bill modifies the 'Colorado Food and Drug Act' to establish that food, cosmetics, drugs, and devices, as those terms are defined in the act, are not adulterated or misbranded by virtue of containing industrial hemp. The bill also defines 'industrial hemp' and 'industrial hemp food product' and sets forth the department of public health and environment's powers with regard to applicants and registrants engaged in, or attempting to engage in, the wholesale food selling, manufacturing, processing, or storage of an industrial hemp food product.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

More to come, check back often for updates and be sure you are subscribed to the GHC Newsletter

Legislative Page

____________________________________________________________________________________

Fact Sheet for Hemp Foods Bill 2018

MAIN Goal: Add a new definition of Hemp Foods Product in the Colorado Pure Foods and Drugs Law, which will make Industrial Hemp not adulterated and not mislabeled. The Bill also removes the words Cannabis and Marijuana to treat Industrial Hemp like corn or carrots!

ADD NEW Definition:  “HEMP FOODS PRODUCT” MEANS A FINISHED PRODUCT CONTAINING A DELTA-9 TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CONCENTRATION OF NO MORE THAN THREE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT THAT IS A COSMETIC, FOOD, FOOD ADDITIVE, OR HERB FOR HUMAN USE OR CONSUMPTION CONTAINING ANY PART OF THE HEMP PLANT INCLUDING NATURALLY OCCURRING CANNABINOIDS, COMPOUNDS, OR DERIVATIVES FROM INDUSTRIAL HEMP. 

• Hemp Foods Bill 2018 contains 3 core objectives and requires no fiscal note or need for additional budgetary funds for CDPHE

• Create new Hemp Foods Definition and add that definition into our State Foods, Drugs & Cosmetic Act.

• Will define Hemp Foods and clarifies that Hemp Foods are not adulterated or mislabeled

• CDPHE will be required to regulate Hemp Foods under law and not through a policy statement, which has made it harder for some groups to obtain licensure from CDPHE and many who have just not bothered to go through process because they are not legal obligated to do so

• The current policy statement provides zero legal protection and can be rescinded at anytime

• The new definition will protect the Colorado Hemp Industry from Federal Government intervention inside our state against hemp farmers, processors, manufacture and consumers.

• The new definition will prevent and eliminate any future concern that big pharmaceutical companies like GW Pharmaceuticals and or FDA creating a monopoly on any future distribution, possession, use of CBD and other Cannabinoids. They treat them as drugs, but we treat them as food.Example: CBD in Hemp is like beta-carotene in carrots and must be regulated and treated in same way

• Hemp Foods Bill definition into Colorado’s Foods and Drug Act will protect the thriving and growing Industrial Hemp industry, farmers, processors, manufactures and consumers from expected DEA, FDA and Big Pharmaceutical intervention in the near future.

• Without the Hemp Foods definition, all parts of the plant, including Cannabinoids along with farmers, manufactures, processors and consumers have zero legal protection under state law.

• The overall economic impact if the Hemp Foods Bill and new definition is not added to the Food and Drug Act will be 100% against Colorado’s Industrial Hemp economy in favor of GW Pharmaceuticals and its CBD product, which expects approval by FDA in June 2018.

• The Hemp Foods definition will secure the current and scaling growth & production of Hemp Food Products with and without Cannabinoids (like CBD) indefinitely within our state

• The new definition provides local counties with legal guidance and direction on how Colorado regulates and defines Hemp Foods (currently this is non-existent)

• This Bill will provide the State of Colorado with legal standing against Federal authorities under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

• The Hemp Foods Bill will set a nationwide standard which is already being used as model in other hemp states in current and future legislation.

Issues with existing CDPHE Policy Statement

• CDPHE refused to change the Food and Drugs Act last year and threatened to have the Hemp Foods Bill Vetoed by the Governor if passed

• Last year, $80,000 was raised to pay for lobbyists to lobby in favor of the Hemp Foods Bill in 2017. The bill never came to fruition, the $80,000 has disappeared and the industry has been severely disappointed and impacted

• CDPHE claims the policy statement was done with the help of Hemp Industry Leaders – this is not true and they intentionally excluded key stakeholders in these discussions and held meetings behind closed doors with unregistered lobbyists

• CDPHE’s policy statement provides zero legal protection for farmers, processors, manufacturers and consumers of Hemp Foods as well as from future federal intervention

• CDPHE policy statement requires CDPHE approval of the Industrial Hemp, which is unlike how they regulate other foods. CDPHE is not treating hemp like corn or carrots.

• CDPHE was the original cause of the hemp CBD/food chaos in the Hemp Industry in 2016, which lead the way for the intended Hemp Foods Bill fully supported by the Colorado hemp Industry.

• CDPHE policy can be changed at will by the department – policy statement is not law.

• CDPHE has provided zero protection/protocol and oversight to Hemp processors who extract/concentrate Hemp resin/compounds/Cannabinoids  (and in some cases remove THC in large amounts).

• CDPHE has proven itself very hard to work with both before and under the new policy statement. CDPHE’s actions have forced numerous hemp farmers, processors and manufactures to hire attorneys in order to get them through what should be a simple licensing process. This has caused undue and unnecessary burden and expenses.

• The policy statement provided no deadlines and or requirements for CDPHE to grant licenses or legal standing for applicants.

• Adding a definition of Hemp Foods in the Colorado Food and Drug Act is critical to protect our thriving industry from DEA, FDA and future targeted legal actions against individual farmers, processors and/or manufactures.

• Both FDA and DEA has made it clear that CBD is considered a Schedule 1 Drug and all producers and distributors are in violation of 2 Federal Laws: 1) CSA and 2) Federal Foods and Drugs Act.

Why the Hemp Foods Bill is CRITICAL to pass in 2018

• GW Pharmaceuticals Bill – GW (a foreign company) has been given exclusive rights to use Federal patents on Cannabinoids like CBD

• GW Pharmaceuticals is expected to get FDA approval of their CBD product in June 2108 and release of CBD drug in October 2018.

• FDA will request DEA to reschedule Marijuana Extract to 4 or 5 – something that has never happen in our life time

• FDA will change the Federal Food and Drug act and define limits on what is a drug and non drug milligram limit/allowance. For example: anything under 5mg would be considered non drug CBD product and anything over 5mg CBD would be consider a drug and not legal without prescription. This will cripple the current hemp industry.

• The Hemp Foods Bill will protect our hemp industry and consumer from future federal changes and intervention