85% Compliance Rate Buried in TABC Hemp Crackdown Announcement
TABC data shows 85% of Tennessee hemp businesses are fully compliant. Hemp Law Group responds to Thursday's press release with the full picture.
According to the TABC’s own data, 85% of Tennessee hemp retailers are operating legally. You wouldn’t know that from the agency's March 12 press release.
Of the 4,400 hemp businesses canvassed by Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents, 3,750 were in full compliance with state licensing requirements. That’s an 85%compliance rate achieved just ten weeks into a regulatory transition betweenstate agencies. Businesses holding legacy Tennessee Department of Agriculture licenses are permitted to continue operating through June 30, 2026.
Tennessee’s hemp industry is in crisis, but not for the reasons the TABC’s press release suggests. For eight years, compliant operators have navigated two sets of laws, five sets of rules, and shifting oversight between agencies. Many small businesses didn’t survive the constant regulatory churn. The ones still standing have earned their place by adapting to every change the legislature has made.
“The businesses we represent have jumped through every hoop thrown at them since day one,” said Clint Palmer, compliance director at Hemp Law Group. “They deserve recognition for that, not to be overshadowed by a press release focused on the 15% who didn’t follow the rules.”
Hemp Law Group supports TABC’s mission to protect public health and ensure a level playing field. We provide regulatory advice to hemp businesses in Tennessee and across the United States.
You can read the full TABC press release below.
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