Federal hemp law
From December 11, 2026, the federal definition of hemp counts total THC, including THCA, and final hemp products with more than 0.4 mg of total THC per container are no longer hemp. One part starts earlier, on November 12, 2026: products with cannabinoids the plant cannot naturally produce. Below: both dates, sourced to the statute, and what each state’s own rules say today.
Federal law · effective
Your state’s own law still applies, and it can be stricter. See what each state does after December 11. Checked against the statute text on govinfo.gov and CRS IF13136 (version 5) on October 26, 2026.
Hemp-derived cannabinoid products, intermediate or final, that contain cannabinoids that are not capable of being naturally produced by the Cannabis sativa L. plant are excluded from the federal definition of hemp. From this date they are classified as marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. 1 2
Statute: 7 U.S.C. 1639o(1)(C)(ii)(I) and (iv)(I), as amended by P.L. 119-37 § 781. P.L. 119-103 § 2019 applies only these two paragraphs until December 11, 2026.
The original date was November 12, 2026 (365 days after P.L. 119-37 was enacted on November 12, 2025). P.L. 119-103, enacted September 2, 2026, moved everything except the November 12 exclusion to December 11, 2026. 1 3
State by state · after December 11
From December 11 the federal definition no longer protects most intoxicating hemp products, so the federal line is the same everywhere. What changes from state to state is the state’s own rule. 24 states do not allow delta-8 as a hemp product. In the 12 states where state law still allows hemp delta-8, a product over the federal 0.4 mg cap is still marijuana under federal law. 6 states and DC allow it only through licensed cannabis stores. Here is each state’s rule, with its source.
Small states
Source: CTU state cannabis law dataset (September 28, 2026), with values re-checked on official state sources on October 15, October 22 and October 26, 2026 (dates per state in the table; “data as of” marks rows not yet re-read). Federal rule: P.L. 119-37 § 781 and P.L. 119-103, checked October 26, 2026. Alaska and Hawaii are not to scale. “Delta-8” here means delta-8 THC sold as a hemp product. Not legal advice.
New Hampshire, January 1, 2027: SB 624 (Laws 2026, ch. 275) adopts the total-THC test, including THCA, and expressly prohibits hemp-derived products over 0.3% THC, including delta-8, delta-9 and THCA. Bill text on gc.nh.gov, checked Oct 26, 2026.
| State | State rule | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not allowed as a hemp product 24 states | |||
| Alabama | Not legal | Ala. HB 445 (2025), enrolled bill | Data as of |
| Alaska | Not legal | Alaska Div. of Agriculture, Hemp Program Advisory Notice (Jan 31, 2025) | Data as of |
| Arizona | Not legal | Ariz. Attorney General, Opinion I24-005 | Data as of |
| Arkansas | Not legal | Ark. Attorney General, Act 934 of 2025 certification | Data as of |
| California | Not legal | Cal. AB 8 (2025), bill text | Data as of |
| Delaware | Not legal: any THC isomer not FDA-approved is Schedule I (16 Del. C. § 4714(d)(19)) | 16 Del. C. § 4714(d)(19), Schedule I | Checked |
| Hawaii | Not legal | Hawaii DOH Hemp Program, consumer FAQ | Data as of |
| Idaho | Not legal | Idaho Code § 37-2705 | Data as of |
| Indiana | Not legal | Ind. Attorney General, Official Opinion 2023-1 | Data as of |
| Iowa | Not legal | Iowa HHS, consumable hemp guidance (PDF) | Data as of |
| Massachusetts | Not legal: hemp-derived delta-8 products may not be processed or sold (MDAR) | Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources, hemp-derived products FAQ | Checked |
| Montana | Not legal | Mont. Dept. of Revenue, synthetic cannabinoids guidance | Data as of |
| Nebraska | Not legal | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-405 | Data as of |
| Nevada | Not legal as hemp: Nevada's THC definition includes delta-8 (SB 49, 2021); selling synthetic cannabinoids without CCB approval is illegal | Nev. Cannabis Compliance Board, Delta-8 THC & synthetic cannabinoids | Checked |
| New Hampshire | Not legalFrom January 1, 2027: SB 624 (Laws 2026, ch. 275) measures hemp by total THC, including THCA, and expressly prohibits hemp-derived products over 0.3% THC, including delta-8, delta-9 and THCA; no hemp THC product may go to anyone under 21. Bill text, checked Oct 26, 2026. | N.H. RSA ch. 439-A, Hemp | Data as of |
| New York | Not legal in New York's cannabinoid hemp program (delta-8 named as a prohibited lab-made cannabinoid) | N.Y. Office of Cannabis Management, cannabinoid hemp consumers | Checked |
| North Dakota | Not legal | N.D. Dept. of Agriculture, Hemp program | Data as of |
| Ohio | Not legal: SB 56 (effective Mar 20, 2026) bans intoxicating hemp products; dispensaries do not sell them | Ohio Div. of Cannabis Control, Ohio Cannabis FAQ (no. 18) | Checked |
| Oregon | Not legal (artificially derived delta-8 banned since July 1, 2022) | OLCC Compliance Bulletin CE2022-02 (June 14, 2022) | Checked |
| Rhode Island | Not legal | R.I. Industrial Hemp Program rule, 560-RICR-10-20-1 | Data as of |
| South Dakota | Not legal | S.D. Codified Laws ch. 38-35 | Data as of |
| Texas | Not legal: delta-8 THC is a Schedule I controlled substance in Texas (Texas Supreme Court, DSHS v. Sky Marketing, May 1, 2026; DSHS schedule effective July 31, 2026). Only trace amounts naturally present in hemp are exempt. Further challenges may be pending. | Texas DSHS, Consumable Hemp Program | Checked |
| Vermont | Not legal as hemp: hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids are prohibited (CCB Rule 2.17) | Vt. Cannabis Control Board, Understanding hemp in Vermont | Checked |
| Wyoming | Not legal | Wyo. Stat. § 35-7-1014 | Data as of |
| Licensed cannabis stores only 6 states and DC | |||
| Colorado | Not legal in hemp products (above trace limits); licensed marijuana stores only | Colo. SB 23-271 (signed act), C.R.S. 25-5-427 | Checked |
| Connecticut | Licensed cannabis stores only (21+) | Conn. DCP, delta-8 and delta-10 THC FAQ | Checked |
| District of Columbia | Not allowed as a hemp product: delta-8 may be sold commercially only under a D.C. medical cannabis license | D.C. ABCA, Board order (W&S Liquor and Deli, May 15, 2024) | Checked |
| Illinois | Licensed cannabis dispensaries only from Nov 12, 2026 (P.A. 104-0463); before that, 21+ | Ill. Public Act 104-0463 | Checked |
| Missouri | Legal until Nov 12, 2026; then licensed marijuana facilities only | Mo. SS HCS HB 2641 (2026), as passed | Checked |
| New Jersey | Not allowed as a hemp product since Apr 13, 2026: products over the hemp limits are cannabis, sold only by licensed cannabis businesses; chemically synthesized cannabinoids are banned (P.L.2025, c.215) | N.J. CRC, Intoxicating Hemp-Derived Products FAQ (P.L.2025, c.215) | Checked |
| Washington | Not legal outside licensed cannabis stores | WSLCB, Hemp-derived and synthetic THC products | Checked |
| Allowed only as low-dose products 2 states | |||
| Louisiana | Legal, 21+; max 5 mg total THC/serving, 40 mg/package; no hemp flower | La. Act 752 (HB 952, 2024), digest | Checked |
| Virginia | Restricted: hemp products max 2 mg total THC (incl. delta-8) per package; above that = marijuana | Va. Code § 4.1-600 | Checked |
| State law allows hemp delta-8 12 states | |||
| Florida | Legal | Fla. Stat. § 581.217 | Data as of |
| Georgia | Legal | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-32-5, Consumable hemp products | Data as of |
| Kansas | Legal | K.S.A. 65-4105 | Data as of |
| Kentucky | Legal | 902 KAR 45:021 | Data as of |
| Maine | Legal | 7 M.R.S. § 2231 | Data as of |
| Maryland | Legal | Md. ATCC, THC compliance standards | Data as of |
| Michigan | Legal | Mich. CRA, Delta-8 information | Data as of |
| Minnesota | Legal | Minn. Stat. ch. 342 | Data as of |
| New Mexico | Legal | N.M. Environment Dept., Hemp rule FAQ | Data as of |
| Tennessee | Legal | Tenn. Public Chapter 526 (2025) | Data as of |
| Utah | Legal | Utah Code § 4-41-102 | Data as of |
| West Virginia | Legal | W. Va. Code § 19-12E-12 | Data as of |
| Not confirmed on an official source 6 states | |||
| Mississippi | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
| North Carolina | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
| Oklahoma | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
| Pennsylvania | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
| South Carolina | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
| Wisconsin | Not confirmed | No official source confirmed | Checked |
Grey means we have not confirmed the rule on an official government page, so we do not state it. Illinois and Missouri are shown as they stand after November 12, 2026, when their own laws move these products into licensed cannabis channels. State rules on hemp change often; check the state hemp program before you act.
The federal change applies in every state. What it means locally depends on state law: some states already ban the products the new definition excludes, others license or tax them. The table shows what our dataset records for each state today, checked against official state sources. “Not confirmed” means we have not confirmed that value on an official government page, so we do not state it.
State rules as recorded in the CTU state cannabis law dataset (September 28, 2026), with Illinois corrected October 15, 2026 and 21 values re-checked on official state sources on October 22, 2026. Numbers link to the official source for each value. States change these rules often; check the state hemp program before you act.
| State | Delta-8 THC | THC-O | Smokable hemp | Program | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| AlaskaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| ArizonaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| ArkansasMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| CaliforniaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| ColoradoRecreational + medical | Not legal in hemp products (above trace limits); licensed marijuana stores only 1 | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| ConnecticutRecreational + medical | Licensed cannabis stores only (21+) 1 | Not legal outside licensed cannabis stores 1 | Legal 2 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| DelawareRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| District of ColumbiaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| FloridaMedical only | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| GeorgiaMedical only | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| HawaiiMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| IdahoNo cannabis program | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| IllinoisRecreational + medical | Yes (21+ only; reclassified as cannabis on Nov 12, 2026) 1 | Legal 2 | Legal until Nov 12, 2026; then smokable/vapeable hemp products banned 3 | State hemp program 4 | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| IndianaLow-THC / CBD only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| IowaLow-THC / CBD only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| KansasLow-THC / CBD only | Legal 1 | Not confirmed | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| KentuckyMedical only | Legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| LouisianaMedical only | Legal, 21+; max 5 mg total THC/serving, 40 mg/package; no hemp flower 1 | Not legal 2 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| MaineRecreational + medical | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| MarylandRecreational + medical | Legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Legal 3 | State hemp program 4 | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| MassachusettsRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| MichiganRecreational + medical | Legal 1 | Not legal without a state cannabis license (licensed market only) 2 | Legal 3 | State hemp program 4 | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| MinnesotaRecreational + medical | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| MississippiMedical only | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| MissouriRecreational + medical | Legal until Nov 12, 2026; then licensed marijuana facilities only 1 | Legal until Nov 12, 2026; then banned outside licensed marijuana facilities 1 | Legal until Nov 12, 2026; THCA flower then licensed marijuana facilities only 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| MontanaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| NebraskaMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| NevadaRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| New HampshireMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal (≤0.3% delta-9 THC); from Jan 1, 2027 total THC incl. THCA ≤0.3% 1 | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| New JerseyRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Only very-low-THC flower (<0.3% total THC and <0.4 mg THC per container); THCA flower = cannabis (licensed only) 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| New MexicoRecreational + medical | Legal 1 | Legal 1 | Legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| New YorkRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| North CarolinaLow-THC / CBD only | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| North DakotaMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal 1 | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| OhioRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| OklahomaMedical only | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Legal only if combined delta-9 THC + THCA ≤0.3% (from Nov 1, 2026) 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| OregonRecreational + medical | Not legal (artificially derived delta-8 banned since July 1, 2022) 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| PennsylvaniaMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not confirmed | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| Rhode IslandRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal 1 | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| South CarolinaLow-THC / CBD only | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| South DakotaMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| TennesseeLow-THC / CBD only | Legal 1 | Not confirmed | Legal 1 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| TexasMedical only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Legal 3 | State hemp program 1 | [1] [2] [3] |
| UtahMedical only | Legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| VermontRecreational + medical | Not legal 1 | Not legal 1 | Legal only if ≤0.3% total THC (incl. THCA); THCA flower prohibited outside licensed cannabis 2 | State hemp program 1 | [1] [2] |
| VirginiaRecreational + medical | Restricted: hemp products max 2 mg total THC (incl. delta-8) per package; above that = marijuana 1 | Not confirmed | Legal 2 | State hemp program 2 | [1] [2] |
| WashingtonRecreational + medical | Not legal outside licensed cannabis stores 1 | Not legal outside licensed cannabis stores 1 | Not legal 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
| West VirginiaMedical only | Legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Legal 3 | State hemp program 4 | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| WisconsinLow-THC / CBD only | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | State hemp program 1 | [1] |
| WyomingLow-THC / CBD only | Not legal 1 | Not legal 2 | Legal only if ≤0.3% total THC (post-decarboxylation) 2 | State hemp program 3 | [1] [2] [3] |
State sources are linked in each row of the table.
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APA
Cannabis Training University. (2026, October 22). Federal hemp definition change: December 11, 2026 — what changes in each state. https://cannabistraininguniversity.com/laws/federal-hemp-definition-change-2026/
MLA
“Federal hemp definition change: December 11, 2026 — what changes in each state.” Cannabis Training University, 22 Oct. 2026, cannabistraininguniversity.com/laws/federal-hemp-definition-change-2026/.
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