A hidden item in the Shutdown-ending bill?
By Easton Martin | November 13, 2025
Congress quietly included a sweeping change in the bill that ended the federal government shutdown that will effectively ban most hemp-derived THC products. The provision limits the sale of hemp products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container.
The move reverses years of federal policy that allowed hemp with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight. The new rule will make most consumable hemp products illegal nationwide, affecting a market worth billions of dollars and thousands of small businesses and farms.
In Texas, the impact is particularly significant. Earlier this year, Governor Greg Abbott vetoed a state bill that would have restricted hemp products, allowing the state market, valued at around eight billion dollars, to continue operating. Federal law now overrides the state standard, creating uncertainty for producers and retailers.
The ban will take effect one year after the law’s passage, giving businesses limited time to adapt. Farmers and producers face the difficult choice of reformulating products, shutting down operations, or leaving the market entirely.
