Attorney General Tong Leads Coalition of Attorneys General Urging Congress to Preserve Federal Hemp Reforms and Prevent the Return of Intoxicating Hemp Products

08/04/2026

(Hartford, CT)- Attorney General William Tong announced today that he co-led a coalition of 34 attorneys general in a letter to congressional leaders urging them to preserve the federal redefinition of hemp and reject any effort to delay, repeal, suspend, or weaken the reforms Congress enacted to address intoxicating hemp-derived products.

In the letter, which was sent to congressional leadership and the chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the coalition thanks Congress for closing the loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed unregulated intoxicating hemp products to proliferate nationwide and urges lawmakers to ensure the new definition remains in effect.

“Congress made the right decision when it closed a dangerous loophole, and we should keep it closed. These reforms protect consumers, support businesses that follow the law, and keep intoxicating hemp-derived products out of our communities. We cannot afford to go backwards,” said Attorney General Tong.

Congress acted in 2025 to establish a clearer and more responsible framework for hemp regulation. The coalition’s letter explains that states, federal agencies, businesses, and consumers have already begun adjusting to the revised definition and that many states have aligned, or are in the process of aligning, their laws and enforcement efforts with the new federal standard.

The attorneys general warn that reopening the loophole or weakening the revised definition would create regulatory uncertainty, compromise public safety, increase litigation, disrupt lawful businesses that have already adapted to the new framework, and allow the return of unregulated intoxicating hemp products to the marketplace.

Attorney General Tong is co-leading the letter with Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, and New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. Attorneys general of the following states and territories also signed the letter: Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

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