SB591 is not about the shapes of gummies as it was originally written. The substitute language that was added to this bill has zero to do with the original bill.

The language is coincidentally the same as that of the failed bill SB897 introduced by Del. Dawn Adams stating:

"Hemp product" means a product, including any raw materials from industrial hemp that are used for or added to a food or beverage product, that (i) contains industrial hemp and has completed all stages of processing needed for the product and (ii) contains no more than 0.25 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol per unit dose or 1 milligram of tetrahydrocannabinol per package.

Governor Youngkin,

As you and your staff read through our petition, we want you to think about a few things as we explain our position on this bill. The most important being the consumers who use these products for an array of reasons and the small businesses who farm, manufacture, and sell these products. We are your constituents and many will be directly impacted by your signature.

For our first round of questions, we request the answers to the following....

1. Who is impacted by this bill? 

a: The Consumer:

-Who are the consumers of CBD and all Hemp Derived THC products?

b: The Farmers and Small Businesses:

-Who are the legal taxpaying entities being put out of business and driven into the black market immediately if they want to survive?

c: The Monopoly:

-Who is apart of the VA Cannabis Monopoly system?

2. What is the health and economical impact of this bill on the Consumers, Farmers/Small Businesses, and the Cannabis Monopoly? 

a. The Consumers:

-Why do the consumers purchase these products and have their testimonials been taken into account?

-Do the consumers have a voice and a choice of what they choose to consume and if so, who decides what is right and wrong?

-Do the lawmakers understand that the consumers are their constituents?

-What plans are in place to immediately ensure the health and well being of the consumers is met as they lose access to 90% of all federally legal hemp based products on the market in Virginia come July 2, 2022? 

-What is the legality of possessing CBD and Hemp Derived THC after July 1 and will consumers be able to legally purchase these products online from other states?

b. The Farmers and Small Businesses:

-How many businesses are affected?

-How many jobs will be destroyed?

-How many bankruptcies will be imminent due to inventory issues?

-How many livelihoods will be affected?

-How much sales tax is lost by enacting this bill? 

c. The Monopoly:

-What do the Board of Pharmacy licensees gain from taking out the small businesses and farmers in the Hemp Industry?

-How much financial stake is at risk?

-How many more customers are added to their revenue projections by removing hemp derived products from the free market and handing it to their publicly traded companies?

-Who are the lawmakers connected to the Board of Pharmacy licensees and is there a conflict of interest present?

3. Why did this bill change from a 1 page bill addressing animal shaped gummies and counterfeit packaging to the “re-definition of hemp” substitute language?

a. Refer to SB 391 and HB897

b. Did the Senators and Delegates fully understand the impact of this bill when they voted?

c. What is the consensus between all governmental offices after a complete impact statement has been produced before signing this bill into law? IF NO impact statements are produced prior to passing this law, Is it in the best interest of the Commonwealth to make the decision to ruin livelihoods without doing so knowingly?

We ask that you please understand this petition represents a larger number than those that have signed, and we plan to fully reveal the corruption involved in the Virginia Cannabis industry created by the former administration.

Following this letter, we will begin to breakdown the arguments made during the House of Representatives final vote on SB591.

We greatly appreciate you considering the farmers and small businesses directly impacted as you begin reviewing SB591. We have many more questions to address but we feel this would be a good start.