Monday  saw another huge blow to the hemp industry in North Dakota. Governor Doug Burgum (R) signed HB 1045. It’s an emergency order to ban Delta 7, Delta 8, and Delta 10 from being sold, produced, and consumed within the state.

This has left many small businesses scrambling to remove Delta 8 from their stores in a short period of time. HB 1045 is an emergency order. That means that as soon as the governor signs the bill, it takes effect.

HB 1045

House Bill 1045 began its journey through North Dakota’s congress at the beginning of January. It was introduced in the House on January 5th when the session began. From there, it received an 88-4 overall House approval and was sent over to the Senate on January 20. The Senate added a few amendments to the bill before approving it 47-0 and sending it back to the House. Typically, bills are returned to the previous chambers when amendments are added. This is to make sure the original chamber approves of the changes.

Well the House did not approve. So, a conference committee began between the House and the Senate at the beginning of April. Both chambers wanted a compromise to send to the governor’s desk. After a few days, on April 9th, a compromise was accepted. The full House chamber approved the amended bill on April 13 with a vote of 92-2. The Senate approved HB 1045 two days later with a vote or 47-0. 

Once the bill became approved by both chambers, it was sent to Governor Burgum for his signature on April 20, an ironic day for this bill. Now Governor Burgum still had the chance to veto the bill or make changes of his own to it and send it back to the House and the Senate. However, on April 23, he signed HB 1045 into law. Starting April 26th, Delta 8, along with Delta 7 and Delta 10, became banned in North Dakota.

Impact

Unfortunately, HB 1045 creates a huge impact on small businesses as well as the general public. Businesses needed to remove their Delta 8 products from their store shelves quickly so they wouldn’t get arrested. Other businesses close to the state border with Minnesota, have moved their businesses over to a state where Delta 8 is legal so they can continue working and helping the public. 

Where this bill will take North Dakota into the future. Activists are looking to add legalizing medical cannabis to the 2022 ballot after the Senate killed a bill to legalize it before activists had a chance. With this further limitation to the hemp industry, it seems that medical cannabis, as well as adult-use cannabis, will be a long way away for North Dakota. 

There is pressure coming from South Dakota, which legalized both medical and recreational cannabis use in the last general election as well as Minnesota, which looks to legalize adult-use cannabis through legislative measures here soon.

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