SC law enforcement opposes THC hemp product legalization as lawmakers weigh rules

Police urge rejection of hemp THC legalization in February; legislature later approves sales with restrictions by June.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

South Carolina law enforcement urged legislators to reject legalization of THC hemp products in early February, according to the SC Daily Gazette. The intervention preceded months of legislative debate over how—or whether—to regulate the products already circulating in the state.

The pushback did not prevent forward motion. By late March, the SC Senate approved a bill legalizing hemp THC drinks and gummies with restrictions, per Marijuana Moment. Subsequent efforts to further limit sales, including a June proposal pending Congressional action on marijuana rescheduling, ultimately fell short; by June 25, the legislature failed to restrict THC hemp product sales, and the products remained legal.

The sequence suggests law enforcement concerns did not align with legislative momentum on hemp derivative regulation. Watch whether enforcement actions against existing hemp THC retailers increase despite the legal status, or if federal cannabis rescheduling triggers the state's dormant medical marijuana law and reframes the debate.