If you've grabbed a hemp THC seltzer at a Rhode Island liquor store, enjoy it while it lasts.
Since August 2024, Rhode Island has allowed low-dose delta-9 THC products made from hemp to be sold at licensed retailers, including vape shops, liquor stores and some bars. State rules cap them at 1 milligram of THC per serving and 5 milligrams per package. Drinks are the big seller: they made up about $2.36 million of the state's $2.85 million in regulated hemp sales in 2025, according to Cannabis Control Commission data reported by Rhode Island Current.
The catch: starting Dec. 11, federal law will bar hemp products with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. In a Sept. 11 bulletin, the commission said anything over that limit will be noncompliant and could bring penalties, including fines. A commission spokesperson said updated guidance for licensees is coming "in the coming days."
Rhode Island's licensed recreational cannabis stores are a separate story. The commission's chief legal counsel explained that the state regulates cannabis under its own law, while hemp sits inside a federal framework that Congress just changed.
What it means for travelers: hemp THC drinks on Rhode Island shelves may thin out after Dec. 11. Adults 21+ can still shop at the state's licensed cannabis retailers.