Weed shops sell “scary weed”

New federal legislation is set to go into effect on December 11, which limits the amount of THC in hemp products sold outside of regulated dispensaries to just 0.4 milligrams. The legislation closes an eight-year loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill, which allowed THC vapes and edibles to be sold in states where recreational marijuana is otherwise illegal.

Ahead of the legislation taking effect, many weed stores are no longer restocking their THC products. At one store we visited, customers had already purchased all the good strains, leaving only the scary weed like “Heart Attack Sativa” and “Sensation of Pooped Pants Hybrid,” in stock.

In lieu of selling the ubiquitous delta-9 THC or the just-okay delta-8 THC, Madison-area weed shops are reverting to selling weed-flavored alcohol in an effort to evoke nostalgia for the golden days before the loophole closed.

Notably, following pressure from the Tavern League, the state was quick to pass a law prohibiting the sale of weed-flavored alcohol in stores after 8 p.m., an hour earlier than the 9 p.m. cutoff imposed on other alcohol in Wisconsin. We requested comment from the Tavern League, and their response was as follows.

“We are deeply concerned about our community’s ability to just say no to dangerous drugs like marijuana and other drugs that aren’t alcohol.”

As a result of the ban on intoxicating hemp products in Wisconsin, hospital workers expect to see a decrease in ER visits with a chief complaint of “freaking out, man,” and no change in ER visits associated with chronic liver failure.