Hemp Delivery Driver Arrested on State Felony Charges, Despite Farm Bill
Lawmakers, worker rights advocates, cannabis industry leaders and criminal defense lawyers are expressing outrage after a trucker hauling hemp was arrested on felony state charges in Idaho for transporting an unlawful substance across state lines from Oregon.
The incident occurred a month after the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that legalized commercial hemp at the federal level went into effect. So long as the hemp contains less than 0.03 percent tetrahydrocanabidiol (THC), it is now legal under federal law for cultivation, production, transportation and sale.
The case underscored some of the worst fears expressed by trucking companies and drivers about hauling these products. Cannabis industry suppliers, carriers, vehicle owners, drivers and contractors scrambling to understand what happened, learn how to protect their operations and advocate for a driver who almost certainly didn’t think he was doing anything illegal. Continue reading