MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. — Customers at a Mount Pleasant hemp store are questioning whether some of the CBD and THC products they use will remain available when a new federal definition of hemp takes effect later this year.
Javier Camacho, owner of WellProEdge, reached out to TMJ4 with concerns about the changes and their potential impact on his family business and customers.
Federal hemp changes raise concerns for Mount Pleasant store, customers
The changes stem from a federal spending law passed in 2025 that significantly narrows the definition of legal hemp. Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp generally could contain no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. That framework was interpreted by some to allow products with other psychoactive compounds to still qualify as hemp, creating what has become known as the "Farm Bill loophole."
Most of the new changes are scheduled to take effect Dec. 11, 2026.
The new definition broadens the THC calculation beyond delta-9 THC and places new restrictions on finished hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Some products that currently qualify as hemp will no longer meet the federal definition and could instead be regulated as marijuana or THC under the Controlled Substances Act.
CBD itself is not being banned. CBD is generally considered nonintoxicating, but some CBD products contain THC and could be affected by the new limits.
Matt Otzelberger said he works in construction and uses both THC and CBD products.
"I work construction, and it's pretty hard on my body, and I use these products to help my muscles relax," Otzelberger told TMJ4. "Help me wind down at the end of the day."
Otzelberger said he prefers THC but also uses products containing CBD.
"I certainly would miss them if they were gone," he said.
Candace Buggs, another WellProEdge customer, told TMJ4 she uses CBD products for pain after undergoing a knee replacement. She said she expects to eventually have her other knee replaced and that her husband, who is on disability, also uses CBD products.
Javi Camacho, a certified hemp consultant at WellProEdge, said many of the store's customers are seniors or people with disabilities.
“A lot of our customers here are a lot older, so this is kind of more of Racine County's most vulnerable,” said Camacho.
Owner Javier Camacho said he supports regulation of the industry but believes lawmakers should listen to businesses and customers as they determine how hemp products should be regulated.
"I'm not against regulation," Camacho said. "But also they need to listen."
TMJ4 News has previously reported on business owners' concerns about these changes. Watch our previous report below:
Supporters of tighter restrictions have pointed to concerns about intoxicating hemp products and access by children.
When TMJ4 spoke with Wisconsin Republican state Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk in November 2025, he raised concerns about intoxicating cannabinoids being sold in gummies, vapes and beverages, including at gas stations.
"My number one priority is the protection of our children," Piwowarczyk said at the time.
While some customers told TMJ4 they use CBD for pain or relaxation, federal health officials have also raised safety concerns surrounding CBD.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says widely available hemp-derived products containing CBD have raised safety concerns. Only one CBD drug, Epidiolex, has been approved by the FDA for specific seizure disorders.
FDA researchers also conducted a randomized study in healthy adults using CBD doses of 250 to 550 milligrams per day for 28 days. The research examined liver-enzyme elevations and other safety measures, with the FDA saying additional safety information is needed about CBD at doses representative of consumer use.
For customers like Otzelberger, the approaching Dec. 11 deadline comes down to a more immediate question: Which products they buy today will still qualify as legal hemp under the new federal definition?
"I certainly would miss them if they were gone," Otzelberger said.
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