In 2018, Congress legalized industrial hemp with bipartisan enthusiasm. The intent was clear: to unleash the potential of nonintoxicating hemp to benefit agriculture, health, and manufacturing and create jobs. “Rope, not dope,” was how many in Congress described the opportunity at the time.

Elected officials across the nation were surprised to discover that an unintended consequence of that legislation was the emergence of “intoxicating hemp” products. This exploited loophole is flooding our communities with toxic, highly potent THC in all kinds of forms, including child-friendly sodas and candies, deceptively marketed and sold as “hemp” or “CBD.”