Iowa House lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday making changes to the Iowa Hemp Act in an effort to restrict higher-potency THC products currently available for purchase in Iowa.

House File 2605 would cap consumable hemp products to a maximum of 4 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving, and set a limit of 10 mg per container. In addition to new restrictions and penalties related to the possession, sale and manufacturing of hemp products, the bill would impose an age requirement of 21 for purchasing products containing THC and require warning labels on products.

Rep. Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfield, said the amended bill was a “compromise” reached following extensive discussions on consumable hemp. The bill’s floor manager, Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said “it is no secret I would like to THC limit to be much lower,” but the legislation would give law enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services tools they needed to effectively regulate the industry.

While there are many intoxicating THC products available for purchase in Iowa now, Holt said the original Iowa Hemp Act was not intended to legalize these products for sale. Added regulations are necessary to ensure that some of the problems posed by Iowa’s current hemp product market are addressed, he said.

“The reality is that these products could currently be sold to children based on the law, because again — we did not anticipate or understand what was coming, and clearly neither did the feds at the time they passed their Hemp Act,” Holt said. “It is a bit of the wild, wild west out there right now in Iowa thanks to the loopholes we did not know we created.”

Some lawmakers brought up concerns with the proposal’s economic impact on Iowa businesses. Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, said the legislation could affect 1,100 Iowa retailers who currently stock consumable hemp products and who employ roughly 3,000 people.

Requirements on warning labels and restrictions on how much THC can be contained in packaging could stop manufacturers from selling hemp products in Iowa, he said, leading consumers to go outside the state for purchases.

“I’m hearing it from the retailers, saying this,” Kressig said. “When they close, they’ll lose the employees, the customer won’t be able to purchase that product from a knowledgeable individual. And they’ll have to order it online or maybe go — oh, I guess they could go to Minnesota. They could go to Illinois. They could go to Missouri. Those states offer products to the people.”

Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale said he was afraid of the “unintended consequences” of the bill for Iowans who use hemp products for medical purposes. Forbes, a pharmacist, said he has worked with patients who use CBD or hemp products to help recover from opioid addiction, or who are looking for ways to manage pain outside of prescription drugs.

“I think we’re not hitting the nail on the head here, when it comes to being able to help Iowans that are seeking out this as an alternative to maybe taking other prescription medications, and increasing quality of life, helping them,” Forbes said. “… This bill, I think, will make it much much more difficult to access these products.”

Holt said the legislation does not affect Iowa’s medical cannabidiol program. He cited written comments from medical professionals, including those with the Blank Children’s Hospital, who expressed concerns about people using hemp products interchangeably with medical CBD, especially as it relates to medical treatment for children.

“I would respectfully ask that we put the safety and well-being of our citizens and our amazing state first in this discussion,” Holt said.

The bill passed on a 78-16 vote, and moves to the Senate for consideration. The bill must be approved this week by a Senate committee to meet the second “funnel” deadline of the 2024 legislative session and remain eligible for consideration.