Vol. 1, Ed. 73 — Sun Oct 25: Texas hemp groups sue over THCA rule, fees

Texas hemp groups sue DSHS over the THCA rule and license fees that rose to $10,000 per manufacturing facility and $5,000 per retail location; UPS sets a Dec. 11 testing-documentation requirement for hemp shipments; New York opens its first adult-use nursery license applications Nov. 5. For general information only — not legal advice.

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The NRBC Compliance Brief is a daily two-minute audio briefing on U.S. alcohol and hemp/THC regulation, covering federal agencies and all 50 states: TTB rulings and rulemaking, state alcohol authority actions, the federal hemp-ban timeline, THC-beverage rules, court decisions, taxes, tariffs, licensing, and enforcement. A new episode arrives every morning around 7 AM Eastern.

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This is the New Realm Compliance Brief, Volume one, Edition seventy-three, for Sunday, October twenty-fifth.

Our top story is in Texas. The Texas Hemp Constitutional Alliance and manufacturer Green Nation have sued the state Department of State Health Services, arguing the agency exceeded its authority with consumable hemp rules that count T-H-C-A toward the delta-nine limit and sharply raise license costs. Under the rules, in effect since late March, the annual manufacturer fee rose from two hundred fifty-eight dollars to ten thousand dollars per facility, and retail registration rose from one hundred fifty-five dollars to five thousand dollars per location. The plaintiffs seek an injunction; the agency said the fees cover inspections, lab testing and enforcement. The rules remain in effect while the case is pending.

On the federal side, UPS updated its hemp shipping policy. Starting December eleventh, hemp shipments will need a certificate of analysis showing total T-H-C of no more than three tenths of one percent, adult signature service, and a dedicated carrier account. Synthetic cannabinoids and hemp vape products are prohibited entirely. And in Virginia, a federal indictment charges state Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas with racketeering and marijuana distribution conspiracies tied to retail cannabis stores; she denied the charges.

Around the states: New York opens applications November fifth for its first adult-use nursery licenses, capped at fifty applications, with annual fees from seven hundred fifty to two thousand dollars. And a study for Missouri regulators found the licensed market is meeting demand, suggesting no need for new licenses.

On the radar: rescheduling briefs at the D-E-A are due October twenty-ninth, the federal synthetic cannabinoid ban arrives November twelfth, and the delayed federal T-H-C standard takes effect December eleventh.

Full details and source links are in today's email. This update is for general information only — it is not legal advice.