What Missouri’s Crackdown on Hemp-THC Drinks Means for Shoppers, Bars, and Dispensaries

30 October 2025

As the state’s top prosecutor targets hemp-based intoxicants, businesses and consumers prepare for new rules

Missouri’s fast-growing hemp beverage market, once a niche next to energy drinks and seltzers, may soon face tighter control. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has announced a plan to limit the sale of hemp-derived products that can intoxicate but are not covered by the state’s cannabis laws.

Her office says hemp-THC beverages, which can mimic marijuana’s effects but face little oversight, raise public health concerns. “This is an unregulated industry that makes untested, unknown substances available to the public,” said James Lawson, Hanaway’s chief of staff. “That includes children, where we think it’s particularly detrimental.”

No date for enforcement has been set, but the effort marks Missouri’s first serious move to monitor the market. Across the country, hemp-THC drinks have spread quickly, with analysts estimating national sales could reach 14.9 billion dollars a year. Missouri’s share of the nationwide THC market is thought to be around 75 million dollars.

A Market Outpacing the Rules

Federal law limits hemp products to less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC, the compound that causes intoxication. Yet Missouri’s cannabis trade group, MoCannTrade, reports that many products sold in local stores exceed that level. In a review of 55 hemp-THC items from smoke shops and gas stations, the group found that 96 percent failed federal standards or contained synthetic THC. One product tested at 89 percent THC. Nearly a third showed traces of pesticides, heavy metals, or solvents.

MoCannTrade spokesperson Jack Cardetti said the findings were “shocking,” arguing that such products compete unfairly with the state’s 1.5 billion dollar licensed cannabis industry, which must follow testing and labeling rules.

For some hemp farmers, the results confirm what they have seen firsthand. “It’s the wild west out there,” said Rick Hempe, a grower in Maries County who keeps THC levels within federal limits. He said clear rules would help farmers who follow the law stand apart from those who do not.

The Political Divide

Earlier this year, a bill to bring hemp-derived THC under the same rules as dispensary cannabis failed after pushback from hemp retailers. New proposals now being considered would restrict intoxicating hemp products to licensed dispensaries. If approved, bars, grocery stores, and liquor shops that now sell THC seltzers could lose that option.

Hanaway’s office says it will use “all available legal authority” to curb the sale of intoxicating hemp drinks if lawmakers do not act. That may include consumer protection or product mislabeling laws.

Who Stands to Gain or Lose

For medical cannabis patients, stronger oversight could mean more consistent dosing and labeling.

For recreational users, access might shrink. Many now buy hemp-THC drinks at stores or order them at bars. If the law changes, those options may disappear.

Hemp farmers who already comply with testing rules may see benefits if enforcement pushes out illegal products.

Small retailers and bars could be hit hardest. Many added hemp-THC drinks as a legal alternative to alcohol. If the beverages are classified as cannabis, they might have to be removed from menus and shelves.