BAMCO APPLAUDS BIPARTISAN BILL TO ESTABLISH FEDERAL FRAMEWORK FOR LOW-DOSE HEMP BEVERAGES

Beverage Regulatory Parity Act builds on proven alcohol regulatory system to protect consumers and provide clear rules for responsible businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2026

Contact: Jonathan Grella
jag@jagpublicaffairs.com

WASHINGTON — The Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO) today applauded Representatives Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) for introducing the bipartisan Beverage Regulatory Parity Act, legislation establishing a federal regulatory framework for low-dose hemp-derived beverages based on the proven beverage alcohol system.

The legislation establishes a three-tier distribution system for low-dose hemp-derived beverages and includes a nationwide 21-and-over standard, mandatory product testing, TTB permitting, strict THC limits, labeling and advertising requirements, risk warnings and federal excise taxation. It also preserves states’ authority to impose additional requirements or prohibit hemp-derived beverages and bans synthetically derived cannabinoids.

“We applaud Representatives Van Duyne and Landsman for putting forward a regulatory framework for low-dose hemp beverages that aligns interests and addresses consumer demand,” said Jonathan Grella, spokesman for BAMCO. “Their bill provides a path to a safe, regulated marketplace for low-dose hemp beverages while supporting Congress and the Administration in removing synthetic and inhalable products. We look forward to working with Representatives Van Duyne and Landsman to build on the proven safeguards of the beverage alcohol system and get the regulation right.”

“I’ve heard directly from people across North Texas who consume hemp-derived beverages, and businesses who sell them, that they need clarity, not a ban that pushes this market underground,” said Rep. Van Duyne. “The Beverage Regulatory Parity Act brings long-overdue certainty to the industry by regulating these beverages with the same proven structure that has successfully governed alcohol for decades. I am glad to introduce this bipartisan legislation alongside Rep. Greg Landsman, because American families and responsible businesses deserve structure and sensible regulations that protect children while allowing adults to choose beverages they prefer.”

The legislation comes as Congress considers how to address the federal treatment of hemp-derived THC products. BAMCO has advocated for a beverage-specific approach that puts product and consumer safety first while recognizing that low-dose beverages can be effectively regulated through an existing system designed for age-restricted products.

BAMCO members already operate within the highly regulated three-tier beverage alcohol system, with a proven track record of age verification, accountability and responsible retailing. The coalition believes that infrastructure provides Congress with an established network of accountable businesses and proven safeguards that can be applied to low-dose hemp beverages.

The Beverage Regulatory Parity Act would also prohibit labels, graphics and advertising designed to appeal to children and establish an orderly chain of accountability from production through distribution and retail sale.

“This is exactly the kind of serious, bipartisan work needed to move the conversation from prohibition to responsible regulation,” Grella said. “Consumers deserve safe products, parents deserve strong protections for children, and responsible businesses deserve clear, enforceable rules. Our members are ready to be part of the solution.”

About BAMCO

The Beverage Alcohol Merchants Coalition (BAMCO) is a coalition of leading beverage alcohol retailers—including ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Total Wine & More, Spec’s Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods, and BevMo! by Gopuff—along with a broad group of compliant hemp beverage wholesalers. Together, BAMCO members represent a modern, regulated network that safely and responsibly sells age-restricted products across the United States.

BAMCO advocates exclusively for the responsible federal regulation of low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages through the proven beverage alcohol system.

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