CHARLESTON, S.C. — Hemp-derived THC drinks, gummies and vapes that line shelves in convenience stores, beverage shops and pharmacies across South Carolina are on track to disappear next month when a federal ban takes effect.
The change, passed by Congress in November 2025, was first set to start Nov. 12 but has been pushed back to Dec. 11. It rewrites the legal definition of hemp and bars grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations from selling products with more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. That cap would sweep up roughly 95% of the hemp products sold today, according to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, an industry group.
The products exist because of a gap in the 2018 farm bill. That law capped Delta 9 THC in hemp at 0.3% of dry weight, a limit that kept raw plants nearly free of the compound but let drinks and edibles carry intoxicating doses because the THC made up so little of their total weight. Makers also turned to related forms such as Delta 8 and Delta 10.
South Carolina never filled that gap with rules of its own. Lawmakers considered competing bills this year, some seeking an outright ban and others an age limit and limits on where the products could be sold, but none passed. The products face no state testing rules, potency caps or the extra taxes charged on alcohol.
The money at stake is significant. The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association puts the state’s consumable THC market at $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion a year, and the national industry is valued at $28 billion or more. Retailers say older adults have become a large share of buyers, many using the products for pain or as a substitute for alcohol.
In states with legal medical or recreational marijuana, similar products could still be sold through state-licensed dispensaries. South Carolina has neither, so shops here would have no legal outlet once the ban starts.
From the HERE City State Desk
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