TAMPA, Fla. — Florida has one of the largest acreages and production of hemp than any other state, that’s according to a recent survey done by the United States Department of Agriculture. With over 10,000 retailers registered with the department, a new Senate bill, 1698, could change those numbers and close down some retail businesses.
As the legislation moves forward, it’s been met with a lot of comments from those in the hemp industry. Yomaira Pinero has been working in the Hemp industry since 2019. One after another, she makes all her hemp pre-rolls by hand.
“It should usually take about 20 mins or so for the full process,” she said.
Pinero and her staff make hundreds a day. But she considers this to be more than just a job for her, it’s creating a product with a purpose. She says it’s something that helped her mother 10 years ago when she was diagnosed with cancer.
“I thought it would be a better option to at least try, not to substitute the pharmaceutical medicines but to try different options that were more natural,” she said.
It’s what led her to opening CureALife.
But Senate Bill 1698, proposed by Senator Colleen Burton, could place restrictions on hemp businesses. It would provide conditions for the manufacture, delivery, hold, sale, or distribution of hemp extract, which would prohibit businesses from possessing hemp products that could be attractive to children. It would also stop the Department of Agriculture from granting permission to remove or use certain hemp extract products until it determines whether the hemp products comply with the law.
Those in favor of the bill say the legislation helps strengthen what they’ve been fighting for: to keep children safe from hemp products.
Ellen Snelling is a volunteer with the Hillsborough County Anti-drug Alliance. She says the problem is the percentage of THC in products and their packaging.
“The problem is even if an adult buys it, they could easily put it on a counter, and a child sees either one of these they’re going to want to eat it because it looks just like candy,” she said.
Pinero says it’s something hemp business owners are actively working to address.
”We’re self-regulating as an industry we’re aware that cartoon and cartoon-like packaging is attractive to children," she said. “We’ve been proactive in taking those products off the shelf or not even having them in general, our main focus is keeping our community safe.”
For Pinero, it’s important for all business owners to make sure they’re staying up to date with the changing laws in the industry. And education about her products is very important.
So while the bill’s supporters say regulation is needed, others like Pinero say the proposal could potentially shutter Florida’s hemp industry and put them out of business for good. She and other hemp business owners have organized a group called the American Hemp Agents. She says the goal is to offer proper hemp handling and free services to help business owners renew their hemp permits.
We reached out to Burton’s office about the bill, but they declined to comment.