Oregon critics say new federal law will ‘wipe out 95% to 99%’ of hemp industry, take CBD gummies and oils off shelves in Portland area stores
- Politics
- Updated: Nov. 14, 2025, 11:36 a.m.
- Published: Nov. 14, 2025, 5:00 a.m.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and members of the state’s hemp industry say that new federal restrictions on hemp products will cripple the sector. This file photo shows Jeremy Beck harvesting hemp at East Fork Cultivars in Josephine County in 2020.
Critics are raising the alarm about a federal ban on many hemp products that was slipped into the funding bill that ended the record-long government shutdown on Wednesday. They say it will strictly clamp down on hemp products from Oregon and across the nation, including everything from CBD gummies, drinks and oils used to relieve pain, anxiety and sleepless nights to hemp-made construction materials such as insulation.
That, they say, will deal a devastating blow not only to consumers, but to farmers, manufacturers and retailers and the economies of states such as Oregon, where the value of hemp production in 2023 reached $126 million.
I’ve worked for The Oregonian since 2000, covering a wide range of beats, including cities, schools, breaking news, jails, prisons and the criminal and civil justice systems. I currently cover politics and… more
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