Georgia’s Hemp Farming Act went into effect Oct. 1, paving the way for beverage companies to start producing and selling THC- and CBD-infused beverages in the state.
Chris Herron, co-founder and former CEO of Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing, is introducing the Climbing Kites line of sparkling waters in Georgia via BevStrategy, a company Herron started with business partner Seth Herman, another former Creature Comforts executive.
Scott Selix, a friend of Herron’s, started the Climbing Kites brand at a small Des Moines, Iowa, brewery that he co-owns.
Nonalcoholic beverages that use delta-9 THC — the psychoactive component derived from hemp that produces a euphoric feeling in users — are a fast-growing category. Prior to the passage of the new law, there were few regulations dealing with THC-infused drinks in Georgia.
The law provides a framework for defining what is or is not legal when it comes to hemp-based products, which now are overseen by the state Department of Agriculture.
Climbing Kites, which spent two years on research and development, is supportive of the law, Herron said. “What we’ve got now is a licensing process for both distributors and retailers ... and some general rules governing packaging,” he said. “There’s no more ambiguity for anyone whether this is legal or not legal, really clearing this up for folks.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
At an Agriculture Department public hearing, the BevStrategy team advocated for THC-infused beverages having a threshold of variance. “We want to make sure that if someone says a beverage is 5 milligrams (of THC), there is a threshold there that cannot be 30% difference,” Herron said.
The aim, Herron said, is to create a fair marketplace, as well as help to ensure safe and trusted products for consumers.
The new law puts rules in place around the consumption of hemp products. First of all, it is a crime to sell consumable hemp products to anyone under the age of 21. It also is illegal to purchase or possess consumable hemp products if you are under 21.
The law also says that manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers must obtain permits; and there are new packaging, labeling and marketing requirements. The Agriculture Department regulates the testing labs that determine whether ingredients for products are listed accurately. Hemp beverages containing alcohol also are prohibited.
Climbing Kites cans feature a QR code that customers can scan to see a lab report that provides “way more information than you would ever want to know about what is in there,” Herron said.
He said he is pleased to be helping spread the word on THC- and CBD-infused drinks in Georgia.
“I’m very proud of this,” Herron said.
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