Alabama has taken a shocking step backward. In late June 2025, Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law that effectively bans the sale and distribution of hemp-derived products like Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC across the state.
After years of slow but steady progress — and millions in tax revenue — the State has now chosen to criminalize an entire industry that it once welcomed, regulated and taxed.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about full-blown marijuana. We are talking about legal hemp products that were once treated as agricultural and economic opportunities.
Since the passage of the 2018 federal Farm Bill and the launch of Alabama’s hemp program in 2019, small businesses and family farms have been operating openly under State licenses.
Stores flourished. Jobs were created. And the state benefited.
What the new law actually does
The new law, effective July 1, 2025, makes it illegal to manufacture, sell, distribute or possess products containing synthetically modified or concentrated forms of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) derived from hemp. That includes popular items like Delta-8 gummies, vapes, oils and beverages.
Penalties range from hefty fines to felony-level charges depending on quantity, intent and whether the offense involves distribution.
Even possession of certain hemp-derived products now carries the risk of arrest.
The law provides little to no carve-outs for previously licensed hemp businesses, many of which are now shuttering overnight.
For customers, those CBD oils and Delta products you picked up at your local vape shop are no longer legal, even if purchased before July 1. Possession may now be treated similarly to marijuana in terms of criminal penalties.
For business owners, if you sell anything other than basic, non-THC hemp products like fiber or pure CBD isolate with zero THC, you may be at risk.
There is no grace period. Law enforcement across multiple counties has already begun enforcing the law, and rumors of seizures and shutdowns are circulating.
In her public statement, Ivey said she signed the law “to protect our children and ensure the safety of our communities.”
She emphasized concerns over underage access and unregulated product content, which she described as “marketed to look like candy and snacks.”
Her concern is not unwarranted — packaging and dosage inconsistencies are valid issues. But banning an entire sector, rather than regulating it better, is not a forward-thinking solution. It is a reactionary measure that punishes those who played by the rules and operated in good faith.
Since its legalization, hemp has generated more than $10 million in state tax revenue, supported over 1,500 jobs statewide and spurred local entrepreneurship — particularly in rural counties where economic development is often hardest to come by. Farmers, processors, shop owners and even delivery drivers now face sudden unemployment.
Alabama’s Legislature moved swiftly, with little notice or public input. For a state that has long championed “limited government” and “pro-business” policy, this feels more like government overreach than principled governance.
The contradiction is glaring: in the same breath lawmakers celebrate job growth, they kill off an entire sector overnight.
The same leaders who say the State should stay out of your business are now, literally, getting into your business — and locking the door behind them.
Rage will not fix this. Riots and outrage won’t lead to better laws — they’ll only breed division. If residents want change, they must do more than protest. They must organize. Register to vote. Call their lawmakers. Demand regulations, not bans. Push for oversight, not criminalization.
And to our leaders: regulation is not weakness. It’s wisdom. It’s time Alabama stops confusing control with progress. There is still a path forward — but only if we choose to take it.
Timeline: From legalization to criminalization
- 2018 ─ Federal Farm Bill legalizes hemp nationally
- 2019 ─ Alabama launches regulated hemp program and 10% excise tax
- 2019–2024 ─ Market grows steadily, generating tens of millions in taxable revenue
- May 14, 2025 ─ Governor Ivey signs HB 445 into law, banning smokables and redefining hemp-derived THC
- July 1, 2025 ─ New restrictions take effect statewide
- Jan. 1, 2026 ─ Full regulatory compliance required, including licenses and packaging
