What You Need to Know About December 11

Changes could affect the full-spectrum products you rely on

Since day one, Charlotte’s Web has fought for your right to access hemp products, from state legislatures to the halls of Washington, D.C. We’ve celebrated victories, faced setbacks, and stood alongside the families and communities who rely on hemp. For many, hemp extract has been life-changing and in some cases, life-saving.

Now, federal legislation scheduled to take effect December 11, 2026, could impact access to many full-spectrum hemp products.

But there is still time to make your voice heard. We’re continuing to advocate for responsible regulation, and you can help by speaking up while decisions are still being made. Read on to learn how to contact your lawmakers and make your voice count.

At the same time, we’re preparing for what may come next. We’ve created a bridge to trusted options so you can continue your wellness routine with confidence, even if the rules change.

What’s happening on December 11?

New federal restrictions could exclude hemp-derived cannabinoid products containing more than 0.4 mg of total THC from the legal definition of hemp. Because the new limit applies to an entire product container, rather than an individual serving, it would effectively prohibit many full-spectrum CBD products under federal law, even when they contain only non-intoxicating amounts of THC per serving.

Following bipartisan action in Congress, most of the new restrictions were delayed until December 11, giving lawmakers additional time to pursue a regulatory solution. But the deadline is approaching, and the future of many hemp products remains undecided.

Charlotte’s Web is working alongside One Hemp and other advocacy organizations to change this harmful provision and create a better path forward for hemp. We’re advocating for responsible regulation that protects consumers, holds the industry to high standards, and preserves access to safe, non-intoxicating hemp products.

Even Original Formula is at risk

Original Formula is one of a kind, and holds a special place in Charlotte’s Web history. In 2013, Charlotte Figi’s story helped introduce millions of Americans to the potential of hemp-derived CBD. Thousands of families have relied on this extract for relief. Today, the federal restrictions could make that same Original Formula unavailable with no direct replacement.

How did we get here?

Hemp regulation has been slow, but prohibition isn’t the answer.

When Congress legalized hemp through the 2018 Farm Bill, it opened the door to a new national hemp industry but did not create a comprehensive federal framework for finished cannabinoid products. In the years that followed, some companies took advantage of that regulatory gap, selling intoxicating, synthetically derived or poorly regulated products without the testing, labeling, age restrictions and manufacturing standards consumers deserve. The federal restrictions were intended to address intoxicating hemp products that proliferated under the 2018 framework.

Those problems need to be addressed. We agree. But the answer should be smart regulation, not a definition so broad that it also eliminates responsibly made, non-intoxicating full-spectrum CBD products.

At the same time, hemp has grown into a significant consumer market, attracting attention from industries that increasingly compete with hemp products for consumers. That has brought powerful, well-funded interests into the policy debate. Recent reporting found that lobbyists working on behalf of major alcohol companies urged state attorneys general to push Congress to keep the new federal hemp restrictions in place.

The result is a debate that too often treats fundamentally different products as though they are the same: intoxicating products designed to produce a high, synthetic or converted cannabinoids versus naturally occurring, non-intoxicating full-spectrum CBD products.

They are not the same, and they should not be regulated the same way.

That’s why Charlotte’s Web, One Hemp and other advocates are fighting for a better solution: responsible, science-based regulation that addresses bad actors and intoxicating products, establishes meaningful safety and quality standards, and preserves consumer access to responsibly made, non-intoxicating hemp products.

The solution is regulation

Not all hemp products are the same, and our laws should reflect that. Sound regulation can protect consumers while preserving access. That means clear standards for product safety, testing, manufacturing and labeling, along with appropriate safeguards for intoxicating products. It also means regulating products based on what they are and how they affect consumers, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all limit that captures responsibly made, non-intoxicating full-spectrum CBD along with products intended to intoxicate.

We believe there is a better path forward.

Our history of advocacy and progress

Hemp was once an essential American crop, used to make everything from rope and textiles to paper and clothing. But the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 severely restricted its cultivation, leaving generations fighting to restore access for decades.

After over twenty years of advocacy, states in the 1990s were beginning to reconsider restrictions, and federal lawmakers introduced repeated efforts to restore industrial hemp cultivation.

Soon after our founding, the 2014 Farm Bill finally pushed the needle forward, authorizing state hemp research programs. Charlotte’s Web was among the first to participate in Colorado’s newly authorized hemp cultivation program. That same year, the Colorado Department of Agriculture tested and licensed our hemp, allowing us to expand cultivation and reach more families seeking access to our products.

In 2018, the second Farm Bill removed qualifying hemp from the federal definition of marijuana, opening the door to broader cultivation and commerce.

We’ve faced extraordinary challenges before. And we’ve won.

Colorado, 2023 Shaping smarter hemp regulation

Charlotte’s Web participates in Colorado’s Hemp Task Force, which develops recommendations for regulating intoxicating cannabinoids. When lawmakers consider SB 23-271, we testify alongside families and Realm of Caring, advocating for continued access to non-intoxicating CBD products.

The resulting law establishes three regulatory categories: non-intoxicating, potentially intoxicating, and intoxicating cannabinoids. Crucially, it preserves a pathway for qualifying non-intoxicating hemp products to be produced, distributed, and sold while regulating intoxicating products separately.

Florida, 2024 Protecting access to hemp

Hemp farmers, businesses, and industry advocates mobilize against SB 1698, which would have imposed new THC limits and restricted many hemp-derived products.

Charlotte’s Web’s consumers adds their voice to the opposition, and the company supported a regulatory approach that protects public safety without unnecessarily restricting access to non-intoxicating hemp products, a principle central to our work with ONE HEMP.

Governor Ron DeSantis vetoes the legislation, warning of debilitating regulatory burdens and significant harm to legitimate hemp businesses. The veto preserves access to affected products while leaving room for a different regulatory approach.

Texas, 2025 Challenging a proposed ban

Hemp users, businesses, farmers, and advocacy organizations oppose SB 3, which would have prohibited many consumable hemp products containing THC, including full-spectrum formulas.

Charlotte’s Web’s community comes out in full force to speak against the legislation and about the importance of preserving access to full-spectrum products that, for many, are life-changing.

Governor Greg Abbott vetoes the legislation in June 2025, citing constitutional concerns and calling instead for stronger regulation. ONE HEMP publicly supports the veto and advocates for science-based standards that distinguish non-intoxicating CBD from intoxicating products.

Federal, 2026 Securing more time for hemp

As the November 12 federal deadline approaches, Charlotte’s Web directs customers to contact their senators in support of extending the timeline. Thousands of letters help communicate the importance of hemp access, while Charlotte’s Web and ONE HEMP continue advocating for a lasting regulatory solution.

Congress approves a temporary delay to most new federal hemp restrictions, moving the deadline to December 11, 2026. Bipartisan efforts led by lawmakers including Senators Amy Klobuchar and Rand Paul help create more time to consider an alternative regulatory framework.

The delay is temporary. But it’s given us time to make our voices loud and our opposition heard.

Your impact cannot be overstated

Charlotte’s Web continues to fight for your access to full-spectrum hemp. But never forget where the real power comes from:

People like you. Since 2025, our community has generated over 45,000 emails and calls to lawmakers. We couldn’t do this without you.

We’re prepared with options to affected full-spectrum products

While we connect with lawmakers to demand your access to full-spectrum hemp, we’re also preparing for the possibility that the December 11 restrictions take effect. That’s why we’ve introduced new whole-plant extract options that meet the criteria of the possible new legislation.

THC-Free†

All the plant’s goodness, none of the THC. Broad-spectrum extracts and isolates for support with peace of mind.

Shop THC-Free CBD

The fight for full-spectrum hemp products isn’t over

We’ve already seen what can happen when the people, families, farmers, researchers, businesses, and advocates behind hemp come together. December 11 represents another challenge. One of many we’ve overcome while we collectively build a responsible industry alongside our community.

Your voice is essential to this movement. Let your representatives know that this reckless policy will not stand. We need regulation that protects your safety without taking away access to responsibly made hemp products.

Contact Your Representatives (opens in a new tab)

†THC-Free means non-detectable levels of THC.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.