Congress Ends Shutdown but Bans Your Gateway Weed Party

KEY POINTS

•On November 13, 2025, Congress passed a spending bill ending the record government shutdown with a controversial hemp ban.
•The bill reversed the 2018 Farm Bill's allowance for many THC-infused hemp products, despite industry and Senate objections.
•Senators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell clashed over THC loophole, with 39 state attorneys general demanding the ban.
•The $28 billion hemp industry, supporting 300,000 jobs, faces a one-year delay before the ban takes effect in late 2026.

In a bold move November 13, 2025, Congress finally ended the longest government shutdown ever, but at what cost? The $28 billion legal hemp industry took a hit worse than your cousin’s expired pro wrestling career. Thanks to a surprise last-minute provision, many hemp-derived THC products—like Delta-8 seltzers that saved Minnesota’s craft breweries—were banned, reversing cozy 2018 Farm Bill gains. Sen. Rand Paul tried a heroic solo stunt to save the hemp buzz but Republicans wanted government open more than high shops. Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell flipped from hemp hero to THC Terminator, backed by 39 AGs fearing intoxicated infants. The one-year delay means hemp lovers get 365 days of regulatory purgatory before the hammer falls in late 2026.