By Kevin Hardy, Stateline.org

A provision significantly limiting the sale of intoxicating hemp products made its way into legislation to reopen the federal government just a day before the Senate approved the bill. Its inclusion follows years of pressure from states and the marijuana industry.

While states continue to expand access to legal marijuana, a separate market of hemp-derived intoxicants has blossomed. The products, from drinks to gummies, are sold in gas stations and smoke shops. Critics say some companies have exploited a legal loophole from 2018 to manufacture products that get people high — without the safety regulations and taxes facing the legal marijuana industry.

That’s led dozens of states to limit or ban certain intoxicating hemp products. Most states also have pushed for federal changes, though some farm states worry the pending federal bill — which the House is expected to vote on as soon as today — goes too far.

A bipartisan group of 39 state attorneys general recently urged Congress to clarify the federal definition of hemp, arguing that the underregulated industry threatens public health and undermines law enforcement.

Texas lawmakers this year approved a strict ban on intoxicating hemp, but that measure was vetoed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor raised constitutional concerns because federal law allowed the products, but he then issued an executive order increasing state agency regulations, including age restrictions.

This summer, Florida regulators seized tens of thousands of packages of hemp products that failed to meet new child protection standards, including child-resistant packaging, marketing restrictions and enhanced labeling rules. In Tallahassee, the state Senate approved a ban on hemp-derived THC products, including beverages, but that measure died in the state House. A similar effort last year was vetoed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said it would harm small businesses.

Last month, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation strengthening state enforcement of its ban on intoxicating hemp products. Similarly, Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine declared an emergency last month in an executive order banning intoxicating hemp products for 90 days while lawmakers debate potential legislation.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the primary psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. The 39 state attorneys general argue manufacturers are manipulating hemp to produce synthetic THC that can be more intoxicating than marijuana.

“In this way, legal, nonintoxicating hemp is used to make Frankenstein THC products that get adults high and harm and even kill children,” the attorneys general wrote.

Hemp-derived gummies and beverages are sold without consistent age restrictions or labeling regulations and oftentimes resemble candy. During his announcement, DeWine showcased brightly packaged intoxicating hemp products that resembled name-brand candy products.

“Certainly, it’s easy to see how a child will confuse this product with real candy and eat a few gummy bears and ingest enough THC to require hospitalization,” he said, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

Though it has faced mounting restrictions in the states, the hemp industry says the federal change poses an existential threat.

On Monday, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable said the legislation pending in Congress would wipe out 95% of the nation’s $28.4 billion hemp industry.

“The language will force patients, seniors and veterans who rely on hemp products to break federal criminal law to acquire them,” the trade group posted online.

Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the organization, said the industry has been pushing for regulation rather than outright prohibition. He acknowledged the problem of bad actors, but said those can be addressed with strong regulations like those that exist in Kentucky and Minnesota.

“These are good examples of states that have put together robust regulations. But we need to see that at the federal level, and we’ve been supporting legislation to do that for the last seven years,” he told Stateline.

Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s senior senator, said he included the hemp measure in the bill to close an unintended legal loophole and that the measure would still allow farmers to grow hemp for fiber, oil and drug trials.

But fellow Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul said the move would “eradicate the hemp industry” and could override some state laws. Paul offered an amendment to remove the hemp provision but failed.

The hemp loophole

Hemp derives from the same cannabis species as marijuana, but is legally defined by its lower levels of THC, the psychoactive component of the plant.

While marijuana remains illegal under federal law, Congress sanctioned hemp in the 2018 farm bill to allow an agricultural market for hemp-based textiles, animal feeds and human wellness products centered on cannabidiol, or CBD, products. The farm bill allowed cultivation of hemp plants with a THC concentration of 0.3% or lower by dry weight.

But that threshold has become essentially meaningless, said Katharine Neill Harris, a fellow in drug policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

That’s because manufacturers have found ways to convert legal hemp plants into potent forms of synthetic marijuana. Aside from the potential of creating very strong products, she said the process requires the addition of solvents and other ingredients that raise many safety questions.

“With marijuana products, you can get some very potent products,” she said. “But the psychoactive components to THC are naturally occurring. It naturally occurs in that natural amount. You’re not doing a whole bunch of manipulation to increase the potency of the product and adding ingredients.”

Harris has tracked the growing number of states regulating the industry: Six states and the District of Columbia now ban all consumable hemp products with any amount of THC. In 24 states, intoxicating hemp products are permitted, though 15 of those states allow only low-potency products.

But even states with strict regulations still must contend with legal online markets.

“There’s a big part of that activity that you can’t control as a state when something is federally legal, and so that’s one thing that they’re asking for is federal leadership on this issue,” she said. “I think there is a big demand for some sort of industry standards.”

If approved by Congress and signed by the president, as expected, the new hemp legislation will likely have uneven impacts across the states.

For example, the change likely won’t dramatically alter the legal landscape in Alaska, where the regulators have banned all intoxicating hemp products. Marijuana businesses complain those products are still being sold, despite the ban.

But in a state like Nebraska, where lawmakers have been unsuccessful in limiting intoxicating hemp, the change could drastically alter both consumer access and business sales, depending on enforcement.

On Monday, Paul said the federal legislation would wipe away hemp regulations in many states, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine and Utah.

“The bill before us nullifies all these state laws,” he said.

‘Running with knives’

The hemp industry has argued that a lot of the opposition to it stems from marijuana businesses looking to protect their own markets, noting that campaigns for restrictions are often more organized in states that have legalized marijuana.

But producers of intoxicating hemp are looking for market access without the associated safety regulations and tax structures states have created for marijuana, argued Chris Lindsey, the director of state advocacy and public policy at the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, an organization representing the legal marijuana industry.

“They want to have some kind of regulatory framework that’s somehow different than the one that states already have [for marijuana],” he said.

His organization cheered the Senate’s efforts “to address the dangerous proliferation of unregulated synthetic THC products.”

Lindsey said hemp-derived products can contain contaminants, including pesticides. Many hemp products can be sourced cheaply overseas, he said, and with lax oversight, there is no system to recall tainted products here.

“To me, that’s like running with knives,” he told Stateline.

The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association recently purchased hemp products from gas stations and smoke shops from across the state to test them in an effort to show they need more regulation.

In its “Missouri Hemp Hoax Report,” the organization said independent testing found 53 of the 55 products purchased were actually intoxicating marijuana well above the legal limit of THC. Third-party lab results also showed some of the products contained pesticides and heavy metals.

Those results underscore that the products should face the same rules as legal marijuana does, said Andrew Mullins, president and executive director of the cannabis trade association. State law requires marijuana to be grown and manufactured in Missouri, mandates lab testing and allows for sales only at licensed dispensaries.

“In my mind, if it’s marijuana, which most of this is, then it should be regulated like marijuana,” Mullins said.

He said calling the unregulated products “hemp” is akin to someone selling whiskey and calling it corn: “Everybody is using hemp as a cover to basically sell intoxicating drugs.”

Mullins acknowledged the confusion among policymakers and law enforcement. But he said there are already laws — including those against trafficking marijuana without a license — that could help address the issue.

Catherine Hanaway, a Republican who was sworn in as Missouri’s new attorney general in September, has vowed action on unregulated hemp products, particularly THC beverages that are booming in popularity.

“Our focus is on the health and safety of Missourians,” James Lawson, her deputy chief of staff, told the Missouri Independent last month. “This is an unregulated industry that makes untested, unknown substances available to the public without any oversight, including children where we think it’s particularly detrimental.”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

©2025 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A man was fatally shot during an altercation and ensuing highway pursuit with law enforcement Thursday in northwestern Minnesota.

According to the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was patrolling shortly after noon in Bagley when the officer recognized a man at a Cenex service station who had a felony warrant out for his arrest.

The deputy approached the man with the intent of arresting him, but a physical altercation erupted. The man was able to get into his vehicle and flee the scene. The deputy pursued him on eastbound U.S. 2.

Other Clearwater County deputies and Bagley police officers joined the pursuit as the man at times drove into the westbound lanes of the highway. Attempts were made to block the vehicle but were unsuccessful.

As the pursuit continued, the man drove through the yard of a residence and then north onto McDougal Avenue Northwest before driving into another yard, where squad cars were able to get the vehicle stopped.

Once stopped, deputies and officers attempted to get the man out of the vehicle. He discharged a flare-type projectile at them. A deputy then shot the man.

He was declared dead at the scene despite lifesaving measures by law enforcement and medics.

One deputy suffered a minor injury during the incident.

Body cameras were worn and activated, authorities said. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the use-of-force incident and will provide future updates, including identifications.

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St. Thomas Academy athletics director Reed Hornung was discussing the Cadets football team in front of the school one morning early in the school year when he noted that, via his play, Todd Rogalski had earned the nickname “Big Play Todd.”

“No one had ever called me that,” Rogalski noted this week.

Not to his face up to that point, anyway.

But it had been said — or, written.

Gerry Brown is the legendary Cadets football coach after whom the home stadium is named. He still consumes St. Thomas Academy game film and sends his observations to current head coach Travis Walch, who shares the notes with his staff.

Rogalski was a kick-blocking menace last fall, Walch noted. He blocked approximately nine kicks or punts. And as his impact plays continued to pile up, Brown started referring to Rogalski in his emails as “Big Play Todd.”

A legend was born.

Rogalski has lived up to it again this season. He leads the undefeated Cadets — who will meet Spring Lake Park in the Class 5A state semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium — in total tackles (70), tackles for loss (13, tied with Kristian Cercioglu), interceptions (three, tied with Matthew Wagner) and, yes, blocked kicks. He *only* has four of those this season, but Walch noted opponents have schemed up their protections specifically to block Rogalski.

The Cadets’ counter to that has been to sometimes have Rogalski return punts. He returned one for a score this season, and has also taken an interception and a kickoff to the house.

“I didn’t think he’d be as explosive as he was,” Walch said. “It started to flash in special teams. We had him on kick returns and you realize, ‘OK, he’s really tough to get down. He’s just wiry, strong, athletic, and he’s got vision.”

St. Thomas Academy’s Todd Rogalski (8) celebrates with his teammates after returning a punt 70 yards for a touchdown against Mahtomedi during the second half of the game at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Wednesday, Oct. 15 2025. St. Thomas Academy won 35-7. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)

The Cadets had to find more opportunities to get the ball in Rogalski’s hands, and that meant more offensive snaps. The two-way player has been a mythical being at St. Thomas Academy for years. But Walch couldn’t help but notice Chanhassen played numerous guys — including star running back Maxwell Woods — both ways in the fourth quarter of the Prep Bowl matchup between the two teams in 2023.

Since then, St. Thomas Academy has moved slowly in that direction. It started in small doses with Rogalski — a screen here, a handoff there. He was dangerous every time he touched the ball. Rogalski, who had previously pined for offensive reps, noted his opportunities were precious. So, he poured his all into every touch, and rarely went down on the first tackle attempt.

“I can’t explain it. I’ve watched football for a lot of years. He’s like bendable. He’s like one of those dolls that just bends on wires and stays on his feet,” Walch said. “I haven’t seen a lot of people like him that way.”

It went so well, St. Thomas Academy had no choice but to continue to expand the Rogalski playbook. His route tree expanded. And then he had to be out there for plays where he didn’t get the ball, too, so his presence on the field wouldn’t be a dead giveaway for what was to come.

“It started with, ‘Let’s find three to five ways to get him the ball a game,’ ” Walch said. “And now … he’s just part of our offense.”

Rogalski has six receiving touchdowns and is averaging seven yards per carry.

“It’s been really fun and awesome,” he said. “Obviously, I’m just trying to help my team in the best way possible and be the most effective player.”

That now includes being an impact player in all three phases of the game.

Rogalski may be the best kick blocker in the state. His dominance in that department started a year ago, when former Vikings special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf, now an assistant coach with the Denver Broncos, served on the Cadets’ staff. Maalouf dialed up pressures for Rogalski, who continually delivered.

Rogalski simply sees the game at a high level and has outstanding body control; he has never accrued a roughing-the-kicker penalty. There are physical traits required for success in the kick-blocking craft.

But Walch coached special teams at the collegiate level for 13 years, and he has countless examples of guys who could reach the “block point” but couldn’t get their hands on the ball.

“It’s kind of a commitment thing. I’ve watched some of my teammates or other teams, and when they get close, they don’t fully extend all the way,” Rogalski said. “I’ve just gotten to the point where I know it doesn’t hurt (to get hit by it) and I know there’s bigger plays on defense that are going to hurt me more than that.”

And the payoff is so grand. When he watches film of his blocks, Rogalski immediately pans to the sidelines to see the team’s reaction.

“It’s worth putting your body on the line,” he said. “It’s a big momentum shifter.”

That fearlessness is part of what has made Rogalski the best player on the field in every game the Cadets have played this season, per Walch. That includes contests against players who will suit up at the Division I level next fall.

Rogalski has an offer to play for the University of St. Thomas next year, but he’s focused on finishing his senior season with the Cadets before making any decisions on that front.

Walch has told every one of his collegiate coaching colleagues about his star defensive back. Yes, Rogalski’s stature isn’t big — he’s listed at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds — but his plays sure are.

“There’s an amazing amount of confidence that he has; he’s just got a belief in himself. You try to impress on every kid in the program that, at some point, you have to give something of yourself – probably physically – for the benefit of the team. And he does it every play, every game,” Walch said. “You have to know where he’s at. … You never get a break from this kid, and he just continues to make plays. I don’t know how he does it.

“He does whatever he’s got to do to give of his body. He’s wiry and he’s small. But man, he plays heavy, and he plays big.”

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By RODRIQUE NGOWI and PATRICK WHITTLE

BOSTON (AP) — It wasn’t a croc — there really was an alligator on the loose in Boston.

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And the story of the city’s slithering saurian appears to have a happy ending. The small alligator, spotted along the Charles River in Boston multiple times this week, has been rescued and delivered to safety, wildlife officials in Massachusetts said Thursday.

The roughly foot-long crocodilian startled a few people and became an instant social media star after confused onlookers took videos of it slipping out of sight. But the animal is not native to Massachusetts, and couldn’t possibly survive the harsh New England winter, so the search for the wayward gator was on.

A local wildlife educator captured the critter on Wednesday night, and it’s now awaiting a permanent home, officials said.

Harvard University graduate student Whitney Lieberman was among the residents who caught a glimpse of the exotic visitor. She notified wildlife authorities when she saw the creature while she was jogging to work.

“Yeah, I did a double-take. For a second, I had to check myself — alligators are not native to Boston waterways, right?” Lieberman said. “I texted my coworkers because I had a morning meeting: ‘Hey guys, this is a good excuse to be late for work. There is an alligator right in front of me and I don’t know what to do.’”

This image provided by Whitney Lieberman shows a small alligator sighted on the Charles River Esplanade, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 in Boston. (Whitney Lieberman via AP)

The animal was in jeopardy due to the chilly temperatures. It was 51 degrees Fahrenheit along the Charles on Thursday. Alligators prefer temperatures above 80 degrees. They are cold-blooded and can’t regulate their own temperature, so they enter a dormant, energy-saving state called brumation to survive colder temperatures.

Joe Kenney, who runs a wildlife education business called Joe’s Craz-zy Critters, captured the alligator, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife said in a statement. It said the state has temporarily authorized Kenney to keep it for now while it evaluates where to find a long-term place for it.

Kenney, of Abington, Massachusetts, said the alligator, being young and just a foot long, is basically harmless to humans. He said he located it by walking in the area where it was last reported and was “a little shocked” when he found it.

Joe Kenney holds an alligator he rescued after it was discovered in Boston’s Charles River, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 in Abington, Mass. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi)

He said fans of the reptile have reached out to him and some asked to name it “Charles.” Kenney said the animal was probably someone’s impulse purchase, but not a good idea for a pet.

“An alligator isn’t designed to live in a fish tank. Really, ideally, it should be living out in the swamp in the southern United States,” Kenney said. “And they can get pretty big. So even though this guy is still little, by the time he’s somewhere around 10, 15 years old, he’ll be an adult alligator.”

Adult alligators can grow to more than 11 feet long and weigh more than 500 pounds.

The wildlife department said the alligator’s appearance is still under investigation, but added it was most likely a pet that escaped or was intentionally released.

Joe Kenney holds an alligator he rescued after it was discovered in Boston’s Charles River, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 in Abington, Mass. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi)

“MassWildlife is working in close collaboration with the Environmental Police to find a safe home for this alligator as an educational animal with a permitted facility. This incident serves as an important reminder that it is not legal to keep alligators or any crocodilian species as pets in Massachusetts,” state herpetologist Mike Jones said in a statement.

Alligators have a history of occasionally showing up in urban areas far from their native ranges. One, dubbed Chance the Snapper, turned up in Chicago in summer 2019 and was eventually trapped. Another one showed up on the Charles River in the Boston area in 2010.

Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine.