Federal legislation signed in November 2025 redefined hemp to cap total THC at 0.4 milligrams per finished container, a threshold well below the 5 milligrams common in many seltzers and other hemp-derived beverages. The original November 2026 enforcement date was delayed by one month to December 11 via a short-term spending bill enacted in September 2026, giving Congress additional time to consider alternatives such as age-21 sales limits, per-serving caps, or state-level regulation instead of an outright prohibition. Industry groups have proposed reforms including testing and import restrictions to preserve a market estimated at over $28 billion, while dozens of states maintain separate rules that already restrict or ban intoxicating hemp products outside licensed cannabis channels. Trader sentiment centers on whether further legislative action will occur before the deadline or if the low federal limit takes effect.