Bipartisan Bill Would Regulate Hemp-Derived THC Beverages Like Alcohol, WSWA Endorses Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C., 08/10/2026 - Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) today announced its full support for the "Beverage Regulatory Parity Act," bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) that would create the most comprehensive federal regulatory pathway to date for low-dose, intoxicating hemp-derived THC beverages as a distinct adult beverage category, with clear standards for safety, labeling, distribution and enforcement.

"Appropriately dosed hemp-derived beverages belong in a regulated adult beverage marketplace, not in a legal gray area," said Dawson Hobbs, EVP of Government Affairs, WSWA. "We thank Congresswoman Van Duyne and Congressman Landsman for their leadership advancing a framework that treats these products differently from other hemp products and builds on the alcohol regulatory system's long record of consumer protection."

The Beverage Regulatory Parity Act would regulate these beverages under a U.S. beverage alcohol-like model that preserves access to responsibly made, low-dose beverages for adults over 21, while banning high-dose, synthetic products.

"I've heard directly from people across North Texas who consume hemp-derived beverages, and businesses who sell them, that they need clarity, not a ban that pushes this market underground," said Rep. Van Duyne. "The Beverage Regulatory Parity Act brings long-overdue certainty to the industry by regulating these beverages with the same proven structure that has successfully governed alcohol for decades. I am glad to introduce this bipartisan legislation alongside Rep. Greg Landsman, because American families and responsible businesses deserve structure and sensible regulations that protect children while allowing adults to choose beverages they prefer."

WSWA's support reflects a broader industry alignment among beverage alcohol and hemp beverage stakeholders, including the Beverage Alcohol Manufacturers and Cannabis Coalition (BAMCO), the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA) and the Hemp Beverage Alliance (HBA), around the need for a responsible federal regulatory structure that protects consumers, preserves state authority and gives compliant businesses a clear path forward.

Today's marketplace contains products with inconsistent potency, inadequate testing, misleading labeling, and insufficient age restrictions. Those problems deserve a federal response, but Congress faces a narrow window to act. New federal restrictions scheduled to take effect on November 12, 2026, would remove most intoxicating hemp products from the legal marketplace, including responsible, compliant businesses.

Last week, WSWA joined beverage retail partners in a letter to congressional leadership urging Senators to preserve hemp language included in the Continuing Resolution (CR). The Senate has since passed the CR, extending the November 12 deadline to December 11. If passed by the House when they return, the extension would provide one extra month to advance a federal framework for intoxicating hemp products.

Hemp-derived beverages are already widely available, consumer demand continues to grow, and the category supports jobs across production, distribution and retail. According to recent NIQ data, THC beverage sales reached $239 million in mainstream retail channels over the 52 weeks ending April 4, 2026, up 135% year over year. Broader industry estimates put the intoxicating hemp sector at $28.4 billion in market activity and roughly $1.5 billion in potential state tax revenue. Leaving this sector unregulated-or eliminating lawful access altogether-would cost jobs, forfeit tax revenue and abandon consumers to a marketplace with no consistent accountability.

What the Beverage Regulatory Parity Act Does

This bill would place low-dose, hemp-derived THC beverages under the oversight of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), in consultation with the Department of Health & Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and apply alcohol-style safeguards across the supply chain, including:

• Federal permitting, inspection and recordkeeping requirements for producers, testers and wholesalers.
• National production and testing standards that prohibit synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids and allow only naturally occurring cannabinoids from lawful hemp plants cultivated in the United States.
• A 5 mg cap on total intoxicating THC per serving and an adult-use standard limiting products to consumers 21 and over.
• Mandatory label pre-approval for cannabinoid content and accuracy, with advertising restrictions consistent with federal beverage alcohol standards.
• Alcohol-style trade practice protections, including prohibitions on tied-house arrangements, commercial bribery and consignment sales.
• A federal excise tax of $0.08 per milligram of intoxicating hemp-derived THC, with states free to impose additional taxes.
• Strong enforcement tools, including civil penalties, product seizure and permit revocation, with enhanced penalties for synthetic cannabinoids.
• Prohibitions on deceptive labels and misleading marketing materials designed to target or appeal to children.

The bill creates national baseline standards while preserving states' authority to regulate, tax or prohibit these beverages.

"The conversation has evolved beyond whether hemp-derived beverages should be regulated to how they should be regulated," Hobbs said. "This legislation moves that conversation forward by following the long record of success in regulating alcohol through a federal and state partnership."

The question is not whether these products will be sold; it is whether they will be sold safely, responsibly and with accountability. WSWA supports a better path: one that removes dangerous synthetic products from the marketplace, protects consumers and communities, preserves state authority and gives responsible businesses clear, enforceable rules of the road.

WSWA urges lawmakers to act before the December 11 deadline and adopt a practical framework that regulators, retailers and consumers already understand.

About Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America

WSWA is the national trade association representing the distribution tier of the wine and spirits industry, dedicated to advancing the interests and independence of distributors and brokers of wine and spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has 370+ member companies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its members distribute more than 80 percent of all wine and spirits sold at wholesale in the United States.

To learn more, please visit www.wswa.org or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

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