In the sun-drenched state of Florida, where agriculture and innovation often intertwine, a familiar name has resurfaced in the headlines: Senator Colleen Burton. Representing Polk County as a Republican in Senate District 12, Burton has reignited her Anti Hemp Crusade with a tenacity that has both supporters cheering and hemp advocates reeling. As of April 3, 2025, her latest legislative push, embodied in Senate Bill 438 (SB 438), marks her third attempt in as many years to clamp down on Florida’s burgeoning hemp industry. This billion-dollar sector, legalized in 2019, has become a battleground where economic interests, public safety concerns, and political agendas collide. Let’s dive into the details of Burton’s crusade, exploring the facts, figures, and the stakes for Hemp Online retailers and Hemp Wholesale distributors.
The Roots of a Relentless Campaign
Burton’s war on hemp isn’t a new storyline—it’s a sequel with a familiar plot. Her Anti Hemp Crusade began gaining traction in 2022 when she attempted to sneak hemp restrictions into broader legislation, only to see it fizzle out amid opposition. Undeterred, she returned in 2023 with SB 1676, a bill co-sponsored with Representative Will Robinson that aimed to regulate THC levels in hemp products to a mere 0.5 milligrams per serving and 2 milligrams per package. The proposal sparked outrage from small business owners and consumers who argued it would obliterate a thriving industry. After significant pushback, the bill was watered down, settling for an age restriction of 21 and rules against marketing to children. It passed into law as Chapter 2023-299, but for Burton, it was a compromise, not a victory.
Fast forward to 2024, and Burton upped the ante with SB 1698. This bill sought to impose strict THC caps—5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per container—while banning synthetic cannabinoids like delta-8 THC outright. It sailed through the Senate unanimously but faced a narrow 64-47 vote in the House. Governor Ron DeSantis, under pressure from hemp industry lobbyists, vetoed it in June 2024, citing “debilitating regulatory burdens on small businesses.” His veto letter urged lawmakers to refine their approach, a challenge Burton has now accepted with SB 438. Her persistence is undeniable, but so is the resistance she faces.
SB 438: The Latest Salvo in the Anti Hemp Crusade
Introduced in the 2025 legislative session, SB 438 is Burton’s most comprehensive assault yet on Florida’s hemp industry. The bill retains the 5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per container THC limits from SB 1698 but adds new layers of regulation. It bans all synthetic cannabinoids, including delta-8, and mandates that hemp extracts be tested by certified medical cannabis labs rather than independent ones. For Hemp Online vendors and Hemp Wholesale suppliers, this could mean higher compliance costs and restricted product offerings. THC-infused beverages, a growing market segment, would be capped at 5 milligrams per container and restricted to liquor-licensed retailers, effectively sidelining convenience stores and specialty shops.
Burton justifies SB 438 as a public safety measure. She points to a 50% increase in “drug occurrences in decedents” involving cannabinoids between 2022 and 2023, per the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s annual report. In 2023, synthetic cannabinoids caused 15 deaths, while cannabinoids overall were linked to 32. She also highlights a rise in Poison Control Center calls related to children accidentally ingesting hemp products, a concern she says persists despite the 2023 age restrictions. “This bill regulates products sold in Florida appropriately,” Burton told the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee in March 2025. “It still allows hemp-infused products, but it protects Floridians from the Wild West conditions of the current market.”
The Economic Stakes: A Billion-Dollar Industry at Risk
Florida’s hemp industry isn’t just a niche market—it’s an economic powerhouse. Since its legalization under the 2018 federal farm bill, the state has cultivated one of the largest hemp acreages in the U.S., with over 10,000 registered retailers, according to the USDA. Estimates peg its economic impact at $15 billion annually, supporting more than 100,000 jobs. Hemp Online platforms and Hemp Wholesale operations have flourished, offering everything from CBD oils to delta-9 gummies, often at a fraction of the cost of medical marijuana. This accessibility has made hemp a lifeline for consumers like Shaina Ortiz, CEO of Siesta G in Hillsborough County, who relies on 1,000 milligrams daily to manage lupus and tremors.
Burton’s critics argue that SB 438 threatens this ecosystem. The THC caps, they say, render many products ineffective—gummies and tinctures often require higher doses for therapeutic benefits. The ban on delta-8, a popular euphoria-inducing compound, could wipe out entire product lines. Michael Smith, co-owner of Herban Flow in St. Petersburg, told the Senate committee, “This bill will unintentionally damage a growing regulated industry while driving customers to the black market.” The hemp industry’s lobbying arm, bolstered by groups like the Americans for Healthy Alternatives Association, has already raised millions to fight back, a strategy that paid off with DeSantis’s 2024 veto.
The Political Chessboard: Allies and Adversaries
Burton’s Anti Hemp Crusade isn’t a solo act—it’s backed by powerful allies. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has championed hemp regulation, arguing that “deceptive practices” endanger consumers. Representative Dana Trabulsy’s companion bill, HB 1597, mirrors SB 438 in the House, though it’s yet to gain traction. Some speculate that big cannabis corporations, like Curaleaf, are quietly supporting the effort to eliminate hemp as a competitor to their medical marijuana monopoly. Nikki Fried, a former agriculture commissioner, called the safety rhetoric “smoke and mirrors,” suggesting it’s a corporate power grab.
On the flip side, DeSantis’s veto history looms large. His 2024 decision was reportedly influenced by hemp industry donations to his campaign against Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana. With SB 438, Burton hopes to address his concerns—limiting regulations to safety-focused measures like child-proof packaging and lab testing. “The governor encouraged us to keep working on it,” she said in March 2025. Whether this iteration wins his approval remains a wildcard.
The Human Cost: Beyond the Numbers
Beyond the economic and political fray, Burton’s crusade has a human face. Parents like Paige Figi, the “mother of CBD,” fear losing access to Charlotte’s Web, a low-THC hemp product that treats her daughter’s epilepsy. Though Burton insists SB 438 spares such products, the ambiguity fuels anxiety. Meanwhile, small business owners like Ortiz see their livelihoods hanging in the balance. “This isn’t just a job—it’s medicine,” she told lawmakers. For Hemp Online and Hemp Wholesale players, the fight is existential.
A Crusade Unresolved
As SB 438 heads to the Senate floor—unanimously backed by the Fiscal Policy Committee—Burton’s Anti Hemp Crusade stands at a crossroads. Will it reshape Florida’s hemp landscape, or will it join her past efforts in the legislative graveyard? With five weeks left in the 2025 session, the hemp industry is mobilizing, consumers are watching, and Burton remains steadfast. In this Sunshine State showdown, the stakes couldn’t be higher—economically, politically, and personally. One thing’s certain: this saga is far from over.
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Reference:
Ruth, T., Colclasure, B., Conner, N., Holmes, A., & Brooks, T. (2022). Hemp on the horizon: understanding the influences on industrial hemp purchases. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 3(3), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v3i3.189
