Opinion

Close the backdoor drug pipeline that’s emboldening enemies and harming the public

39 attorneys general signed a bipartisan letter calling for the THC hemp loophole to be closed

By Chad Wolf Fox News

Published April 29, 2026 9:00am EDT

Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google

close

Video

Trump announces reforms for psychedelic drugs

President Donald Trump signs an executive order that will accelerate access to psychedelic drug treatments for U.S. veterans

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

It’s not often that Congress gets a do-over or can correct the unintended consequences of the laws they pass. As a former acting Secretary of Homeland Security, I saw first-hand how legal loopholes are exploited — by both U.S. entities and our adversaries — and their impact on the American people. That impact can largely be classified as either a public safety or national security threat, and in many instances — both.

Today, we are seeing such impacts playing out with the highly potent drugs made with hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) flooding the market with largely unregulated distribution to America’s youth.

In 2018, Congress sought to create a legal market for hemp products. The intent was to legalize the sale of benign items such as rope, textiles and cannabidiol (CBD) products that........

© Fox News