Cornbread Hemp cut the ribbon Monday on a new facility in Louisville designed to show visitors how its products are made and to educate consumers about hemp’s role in Kentucky. The site includes production viewing areas for gummies and THC drinks, along with displays explaining what hemp is and how it has been used across the state over the years.But the celebration comes with significant uncertainty for the company and the industry.“We make CBD products here. We’ve built our business on CBD products. Every single one of the CBD products that we make will be a Schedule I narcotic in less than a year,” said Cornbread Hemp co-founder and CEO Eric Zipperle.Zipperle pointed to federal legislation introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell that would restrict the amount of THC allowed in products. The language used would amount to a ban on hemp products currently sold nationwide.In a little more than 300 days, if the language is not updated in the current administration’s Big Beautiful Bill, hemp products will become illegal.Zipperle said the potential change would hit customers who use CBD for wellness, not intoxication, especially older adults.“CBD products are for pain, anxiety and sleep. 60% of our customers at cornbread are over the age of 66,” Zipperle said. “It’s primarily older folks with aches and pains and sleepless nights that are taking these products. They’re not taking them to get high. They’re taking them to feel better.”Sen. Rand Paul toured the new facility Monday and explained his opposition to restricting hemp products.“I think we should be open-minded to allowing adults to choose what they would like to take for a variety of conditions,” Paul said. “And apparently millions of people think this is helpful to them, and then some simply use it for, you know, as a drink.”Paul said he’s working with businesses like Cornbread Hemp to push back on efforts to tighten rules, including trying to sway McConnell and other lawmakers who want broader restrictions.“Their opinion is they don’t want any of this. They don’t, they don’t want any legalized hemp industries,” Paul said. “They thought it all was going to be hemp clothing and hemp wood. That is part of it, but that’s about 2% of the hemp business. 98% of it is probably the edible business.”For now, Cornbread Hemp is moving forward with its Louisville facility, hoping the new tours can draw visitors while the industry fights for clarity in federal law.
Cornbread Hemp cut the ribbon Monday on a new facility in Louisville designed to show visitors how its products are made and to educate consumers about hemp’s role in Kentucky.
The site includes production viewing areas for gummies and THC drinks, along with displays explaining what hemp is and how it has been used across the state over the years.
But the celebration comes with significant uncertainty for the company and the industry.
“We make CBD products here. We’ve built our business on CBD products. Every single one of the CBD products that we make will be a Schedule I narcotic in less than a year,” said Cornbread Hemp co-founder and CEO Eric Zipperle.
Zipperle pointed to federal legislation introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell that would restrict the amount of THC allowed in products. The language used would amount to a ban on hemp products currently sold nationwide.
In a little more than 300 days, if the language is not updated in the current administration’s Big Beautiful Bill, hemp products will become illegal.
Zipperle said the potential change would hit customers who use CBD for wellness, not intoxication, especially older adults.
“CBD products are for pain, anxiety and sleep. 60% of our customers at cornbread are over the age of 66,” Zipperle said. “It’s primarily older folks with aches and pains and sleepless nights that are taking these products. They’re not taking them to get high. They’re taking them to feel better.”
Sen. Rand Paul toured the new facility Monday and explained his opposition to restricting hemp products.
“I think we should be open-minded to allowing adults to choose what they would like to take for a variety of conditions,” Paul said. “And apparently millions of people think this is helpful to them, and then some simply use it for, you know, as a drink.”
Paul said he’s working with businesses like Cornbread Hemp to push back on efforts to tighten rules, including trying to sway McConnell and other lawmakers who want broader restrictions.
“Their opinion is they don’t want any of this. They don’t, they don’t want any legalized hemp industries,” Paul said. “They thought it all was going to be hemp clothing and hemp wood. That is part of it, but that’s about 2% of the hemp business. 98% of it is probably the edible business.”
For now, Cornbread Hemp is moving forward with its Louisville facility, hoping the new tours can draw visitors while the industry fights for clarity in federal law.
