Colorado’s legislative Bill SB 23-271, which modifies the regulation of intoxicating hemp products, was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 7th, 2023. The Bill was of particular interest to Kazmira as our co-founder and co-CEO, Dr. Priyanka Sharma, was part of the SB 22-205 Task force, which made legislative and rulemaking recommendations for SB 23-271. Dr. Sharma had the pleasure of attending the signing at the Governor’s residence.

The Bill shifts away from the 2018 Farm Bill’s arbitrary 0.3% THC limit, instead setting THC limits for hemp products based on mg/serving and CBD:THC ratio. Hemp products with THC content above 1.75 mg per serving and CBD:THC ratios below 15:1 are considered intoxicating. They are now classified as marijuana and must go through the Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) regulatory pathway before being sold in a Colorado dispensary.

A significant impact of the new law is that hemp products like those previously discussed in our article about hemp-derived THC are now illegal within the Colorado hemp industry. One particular hemp product sold by a Colorado company contains 10 mg THC per gummy and 14 mg CBD, so not only does it not meet the THC mg/serving limit, but it also has a CBD:THC ratio closer to 1:1.

The law also introduces a manufacturing safe harbor, banning synthetic cannabinoids production. At Kazmira, we’ve always committed to natural ingredient production with non-detectable levels of THC, adhering to strict cGMP process controls, and providing third-party lab certified COA’s for all our products. We’re thrilled to have contributed to the passage of SB 23-271 and look forward to its positive impact on public health and safety here in Colorado. We extend our gratitude to Governor Polis and the Colorado legislature for the passing of SB 23-271.