Bulwark Takes Why Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul Are Fighting Over Weed Seltzers (w/ Natalie Fertig)
Nov 18, 2025
Natalie Fertig, a seasoned cannabis policy reporter, joins to dissect the political drama surrounding THC seltzers and the unexpected factions at play. As red states ramped up hemp production, Congress' government shutdown vote ignited a race against the clock to save it. Fertig reveals the odd allies in this battle, contrasting anti-drug conservatives with pro-cannabis advocates. Dive into the surge of THC beverages, the implications of new laws, and the economic stakes as hemp threatens regulated cannabis markets.
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Odd Political Coalition Around Hemp
- Intoxicating hemp products like THC seltzers exploited gaps in early hemp law and state markets.
- That created strange coalitions of anti-drug conservatives and pro-cannabis industry figures opposing unregulated hemp.
Legal Loopholes Fueled THC Drinks
- Innovators found ways to make intoxicating products after hemp was legalized in 2014 and 2018.
- Regulators had only considered dried flower weight, enabling concentrated THC in liquids and heavy containers.
Bill Rewrites THC Limits For Final Products
- The bill changes the 0.3% THC per dry weight rule to cover all cannabinoids and final products.
- That effectively limits total THC per product and would remove many current hemp beverages from shelves by 2026.