CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control released new guidelines that will affect Lowcountry-based hemp businesses that produce and distribute those products.
DHEC released the new rules at the end of January that covered food and beverage items containing CBD, THC and Delta-9. THC is the compound in marijuana that produces its high. CBD is a compound in cannabis that does not produce a high and is often sold as a dietary supplement or included in creams and other personal care products. Delta-9 is a form of THC that can have an intoxicating effect.
“We really want to ensure when people consume something, they know what they’re consuming,” Director of Community Health Services Nicholas Davidson says.
The new rules would require existing brands to change the way products are labeled, moving the “dose” from the front of the item to the ingredients list.
“Doses on food products, that’s where we enter into, ‘Is it a pharmaceutical product they’re selling or a food?’” Davidson says. “Go into the grocery store, look into the products on the shelves. They have ingredients on them, not dosages of chemicals.”
The agency limits the distribution of products over state lines, keeping them in-state-only for the time being. Products approved to be “Generally Recognized as Safe” include hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein and hemp seed oil.
“We know there’s much more interest as of late, so we thought it would be really timely, also helpful, to put in writing clear guidelines, they can understand what’s allowed, what’s not allowed,” Davidson says.
The decision has sparked conversation from state leaders, including Sen. Deon Tedder, who says he was not aware of the letter until he received multiple calls from constituents.
“First, where did this come from? Who was violating any type or ordinance or regulation?” Tedder says. “We have good businesses that really want to do the right thing. We just need some guidance from our agency on what the reasoning is behind this.”
Tedder went on to applaud the agency’s commitment to public health but says there are more pressing concerns on the table.
“Mortality rate, COVID, issues in that light. We can redirect our resources more so there versus trying to overreach a business,” Tedder says. “We want to grow economic development, we want to create more jobs. But we also want people to be able to operate in a space where they don’t feel threatened.”
High Rise, a company started in the Lowcountry, sells non-alcoholic alternatives, including a CBD beverage used for relaxation and a Delta-9 version with “psychoactive effects.”
CEO Matt Skinner, who spoke over the phone, says he started the company after his wife was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. They opened High Rise after months of searching for options to help with her pain.
“When we dropped the brand, we didn’t think it would be much more than going into our storefronts where we had the Charleston Hemp Collective store. Then we had some interest on King Street. It was a perfect alignment,” Skinner says.
Skinner says the company has temporarily halted production as of Monday because of the recent announcement.
“So many people are stepping away from alcohol, or just looking for alternatives,” Skinner says. “If they drink three days a week, a glass of wine, they want to switch to an alternative. We really try to normalize that on our menus.”
The company announced it would start selling a lineup of THC-free products, called the “Blackout Edition,” in March. The products will include four flavors infused with adaptogens.
High Rise pledged to donate 10 cents of every can sold towards advocacy for hemp laws and educational initiatives.
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