Carr Calls for Congressional Action to Prevent the Sale of Dangerous THC Products

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in urging Congress to clarify the federal definition of “hemp” in the 2018 Farm Bill to prevent the continued sale of unregulated, intoxicating THC products. 

“We’re fighting to protect our kids from the dangerous, synthetic drugs that are flooding our communities,” said Carr. “This is a major public safety concern that has to be addressed, and we’re urging Congress to take action before it’s too late.”

In a letter sent to Congressional leaders, the attorneys general note that bad actors are wrongly exploiting the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp provision to manufacture recreational synthetic THC products that are often more potent than marijuana. This includes delta-8, delta-10, THC-O, and other synthetic products that are sold online and readily available in gas stations and convenience stores.

These products are frequently packaged as gummies, candies, and beverages designed to appeal to young children, and they are sold nationwide without consistent age restrictions, labeling standards, or safety requirements. The public health consequences are stark and severe, with some poison control centers reporting alarming increases in pediatric exposures to these substances.

For this reason, Carr and his fellow attorneys general are requesting that Congressional leaders clarify the definition of “hemp” during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process or through the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, stating: “Unless Congress acts, this gross distortion of the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp provision will continue to fuel the rapid growth of an underregulated industry that threatens public health and safety and undermines law enforcement nationwide.”

Carr is joined in this effort by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Find a copy of the letter here .