The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has rejected a veteran’s application for recognition of his hemp products company, writing in a denial letter this week that the business’s involvement in “products derived from the same genus of plant (cannabis) as marijuana” would amount to “a federal agency endorsing a Schedule I controlled substance.” The rejection appears to be yet another example of confusion around the federal status of hemp, which is legal under U.S. law and defined as cannabis or its derivatives containing less than 0.3 percent THC. Cannabis products with higher concentrations of THC remain illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. The business in question is Florida–based Holistic Serendipity LLC, which does business as Native Ceuticals Tampa. It operates under a licensing agreement with Native Ceuticals, headquartered in North Carolina. The Florida affiliate company, owned by Marine veteran Zack Zindler, is seeking certification as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), a designation that enables a company to compete for certain federal contracts. While many federal agencies allow businesses to self-certify as SDVOSBs, VA requires verification through its Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE).
Ben Adlin, Marijuana Moment, 05/20/2022 08:21:00