Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
John Kerns
John@NewBloomLabs.com
(844) 837-8223
New Bloom Labs CEO John Kerns Set To
Testify In Special Hearing on Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids
Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 4, 2022 -
John Kerns, CEO of Chattanooga-based New Bloom Labs, will testify on Wednesday in front of the Tennessee House of Representatives Criminal Justice Committee in a special hearing on hemp-derived cannabinoids.
“Some members are concerned about new products that contain hemp-derived cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC, and it's important that the industry demonstrates that it is serious about consumer safety and conducting business in an ethical way,” Kerns said.
Specifically, Kerns will speak about his company’s work in testing hemp-derived products. New Bloom Labs provides the chemical analysis of cannabis and cannabis-derived products for the purposes of legal compliance, quality control, and consumer safety. The company’s laboratories are ISO 17025 certified and registered with the United States D.E.A.
Of particular concern is House Bill 1927, which would effectively prohibit the production, sale, and possession of hemp-derived cannabinoids in spite of federal law that sanctions this new industry.
“If it passes, House Bill 1927 would devastate our industry, and Tennessee would relinquish its standing as a worldwide leader in hemp production - that’s not to mention the thousands of businesses and jobs that would be eliminated practically immediately,” Kerns said. Rather than prohibition, Kerns says that legislation demanding consumer protections and ethical marketing practices is the right approach. “Measures like tamper-proof packaging, product testing requirements, and disallowing marketing techniques that appeal to minors are the right way to stabilize the industry and allow it to continue to meet the high consumer demand for these products,” Kerns said.
The hemp industry has already proposed these regulations and is eager to dialogue with lawmakers on all issues that are critical to the future of hemp as well as Tennessee’s continued reputation as a small business-friendly state.
“New Bloom Labs does not support cannabis prohibition, but our supply chains must be effective and safe. The right path forward is to regulate hemp, not ban it,” Kerns said.
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