Iowa retailers would be prohibited from selling consumable hemp products with more than four milligrams of THC, the intoxicating ingredient in cannabis, per serving and 10 milligrams per container under a bill passed by the Iowa House with bipartisan support on Tuesday. 

The bill, House File 2605, comes after loopholes in state and federal law allowed highly intoxicating THC drinks to be sold in the state. Under current Iowa law, anyone can buy consumable hemp products that have less than 0.3 percent THC by volume. In a one-liter drink, it can contain up to 1,000 milligrams of THC.

The bill would limit the amount to 10 milligrams per container, which is still considered intoxicating, and require consumers to be 21 years old to purchase consumable hemp that contains THC. CBD products, which aren’t considered intoxicating, would still be available to Iowans under 21 years old. The bill also requires labeling that denotes the products contain intoxicating amounts of THC. 

The bill passed the Iowa House, 78-16, with most Republicans and some Democrats in support of the bill. Four Republicans and 12 Democrats voted against the bill and five Democrats were absent or did not vote. 

Dozens of vape stores, drugstores, grocery stores, and bars sell consumable hemp products in Iowa City, including Big Grover Brewery which serves a variety of cannabis-infused drinks. 

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Supporters of the legislation said the bill put guardrails up that they didn’t realize were needed when the Iowa Hemp Act, which legalized consumable hemp in Iowa, passed in 2018.  

Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who managed the bill, said it works to cut out loopholes that allowed high-THC products to be sold in the state. 

“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. “First and foremost in this discussion should be the health and well-being of our citizens.” 

An amendment brought by Rep. Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfield, upped the amount of THC from two milligrams total to the current four milligrams per serving and 10 per container. The amendment was a “compromise” from Republicans who wanted higher limits to make it more feasible for suppliers to comply with. 

“This amendment is a compromise that was agreed upon after bringing a huge spectrum of thought on consumable hemp to the table,” Sorensen said. “Thank you for hearing us out Representative Holt. Like many bills and amendments in this building, we quite often do not get what we want, rather we get what we can get done, and that is this amendment.” 

Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale, said the bill could affect Iowa’s CBD retailers that sell products that contain THC. 

Forbes said with such low limits, many suppliers won’t be able to accommodate such specific packaging and many CBD retailers then won’t be able to get supplies. 

Forbes said he agrees with provisions requiring consumers to be 21 years old and labeling requirements. 

“I wish we could have done a better job on making some changes and some of those I agreed with,” Forbes said. “I think the harm that we’re going to do today to an industry, that has employees, that makes money and pays taxes to the state is going to be a mistake.”