Kansas AG, KBI consider crackdown on THC drink sales

TOPEKA (KSNT) – As many people look to get away from traditional alcoholic drinks, THC-infused beverages are gaining in popularity. Now, state leaders are looking into whether the drinks currently on store shelves in Kansas are legal.

In recent months, local liquor stores have been seeing a growing interest in THC- and CBD-infused beverages. The manufacturers say the active ingredients aren’t derived from marijuana, but legal hemp, and contain less than 0.3% THC.

The 2018 Farm Bill changed the definition of marijuana to no longer include hemp that contains less than 0.3% THC. That allowed Kansas to authorize hemp production, clearing the way for the industrial hemp industry to grow.

According to a recent Reuters report, sales of drinks containing hemp-derived THC are expected to top $1 billion in 2025 and pass $4 billion by 2028. As demand grows, liquor stores are taking notice. Vern’s Retail Liquor general manager Christian Stewart said the drinks are flying off the shelves at his store.

“It’s mostly Gen X’ers that are coming in and buying most of our products,” Stewart said. “We’ve gotten to the point where the popularity has reached a level where we have customers coming in who aren’t even searching for alcohol.”

However, this new way to get a buzz might soon disappear in Kansas. On Tuesday, representatives from the beverage wholesale industry met with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, KBI Director Tony Mattivi and the director of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Industry leaders asked for the meeting to discuss the legality of these popular drink in Kansas.

in a written response to 27 News, Mattivi said the issue is over the sale of an illegal substance. He called Tuesday’s meeting a positive first step, saying it provided clarity and notice that these products are illegal.

“Most, if not all, of these beverages are illegal. They are only legal if they are hemp-derived and contain less than .3% THC,” Mattivi wrote. “This is a very narrow category of beverages and the burden is on the retailer to make certain the product is legal if it’s on their shelves.”

Stewart hopes to continue offering the products to his customers.

“It would be unfortunate because we never want to bring in something that we think that consumers are actually looking for, and then all of a sudden tell them, ‘I’m sorry they’re not going to be an option anymore, not just at our store but you can’t find them anywhere else,'” Stewart said.

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