AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ Lawmakers in Maine have moved ahead with a bill designed to clarify that the production and sale of hemp-derived food products are legal in the state.
Rep. Craig Hickman, a Winthrop Democrat, introduced the bill earlier in February as a response to guidance from state regulators to stop sales of food products that contain hemp-derived cannabidiol, which is also called CBD. Hickman says his bill is designed to align the definition of hemp in Maine state law with its definition in the most recent federal Farm Bill, which makes clear that hemp is not marijuana.
State lawmakers voted to advance Hickman’s bill on Feb. 19. Supporters say the bill is a step toward making sure hemp-derived foods are regulated as food and not as medical or recreational marijuana.
