The landscape of hemp-derived THC regulation is undergoing a major transformation in the US. As of late 2025, states such as Rhode Island and Nevada have joined others in migrating certain intoxicating hemp products—beverages, edibles, and concentrates—into the licensed cannabis supply chain. Meanwhile, jurisdictions like Alaska have limited these products to state-regulated marijuana retailers, and court decisions continue to close loopholes that previously allowed many hemp intoxicants into general retail.
This wave of regulation brings a crucial new requirement to hemp players: track-and-trace onboarding using systems like Metrc, the prevailing seed-to-sale technology in over two dozen states (Metrc News). This shift upends the looseness of the federal hemp marketplace and demands full-spectrum compliance, including inventory reconciliation, retail transparency, and intensive batch-level data capture.
The Convergence: Why Hemp THC Products Are Entering Cannabis Track-and-Trace
States have acted in response to the proliferation of hemp-derived intoxicants (Delta-8, HHC, THC-O, and high-THC beverages), which have largely bypassed cannabis taxes, age gates, and safety controls. The 2025 legislative and regulatory cycles have seen a clear convergence:
- Rhode Island: As of July 2025, compliant intoxicating hemp products (especially beverages) must enter the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission's (CCC) distributor pathway. This requires full Metrc onboarding for inventory, transfers, and sales tracking (cannabisregulations.ai Rhode Island H6270).
- Nevada: All psychoactive hemp products are now restricted to licensed cannabis dispensaries, covered by the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board's Metrc-based seed-to-sale protocols (NV CCB Guidance).
- Alaska: Following a series of court-backed measures, intoxicating hemp products can only be sold via marijuana licensees, ensuring those products now fall under Metrc's umbrella (CRB Monitor).
Other states, such as Illinois and Maryland, are monitoring these changes; future legislative sessions are expected to expand cannabis track-and-trace mandates to ever-more sectors of the hemp industry.
What is Metrc? The Gold Standard for Seed-to-Sale Compliance
Metrc (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance) is a cloud-based platform used by state cannabis regulators for robust supply chain tracking from cultivation to sale. Every regulated unit—plant, batch, concentrate, edible, or beverage—gets a unique identifier (RFID or scannable QR code), with every movement, transformation, and sale logged in real time (Metrc Track-and-Trace Technology).
Why is this important for hemp THC brands? If you intend to sell intoxicating hemp products into states converging with cannabis systems, your compliance obligations multiply dramatically.
Major New Compliance Requirements for Hemp Brands in 2025
For manufacturers and distributors previously operating under general hemp rules—which often required only a simple lab Certificate of Analysis (COA)—the migration into Metrc means adapting to a much higher compliance bar. Here’s what’s changing:
1. SKU and Item/Strain Mapping
Cannabinoid hemp products must now be mapped to compliant cannabis SKUs or item categories within Metrc. This means:
- Assigning specific item types for each batch or product (e.g., single-serve beverage, multi-pack edible, vape product).
- Ensuring each SKUs potency, profile, and intended use align with cannabis program definitions.
- Coding items for adult-use or medical (where applicable).
Hemp manufacturers, especially beverage producers, must adapt to cannabis-style batch tracking. This involves:
- Defining clear lot sizes and sub-batches within Metrc.
- Properly splitting multi-serve containers into tracked units matching retail packaging.
- Logging all production and packaging actions, including waste and destruction.
3. Certificate of Analysis (COA) Reconciliation
Lab results must now be reconciled inside the track-and-trace system:
- Uploading COA files and attaching test data directly to compliant batches in Metrc.
- Ensuring that all required test parameters—cannabinoid potency, contaminants, residual solvents, and more—meet stricter cannabis standards (often exceeding federal hemp minimums).
4. Enhanced Labeling and Unique Identifiers
Product labels must now include:
- Metrc-generated batch ID or QR code for package-level traceability (Metrc Retail ID Whitepaper).
- Retail labels that reference required state warnings (THC symbols, dosing information, ingestion cautions).
- Automated tracking for every unit from distribution through sale.
5. Recall/Withdrawal and Waste Management Workflows
Metrc empowers regulators and businesses to issue holds or recalls at any supply chain node:
- All manufacturers and distributors must develop internal recall protocols (for both voluntary and mandatory withdrawals).
- Clear quarantine procedures for any flagged or recalled product.
- Complete destruction records logged and confirmed within Metrc (Metrc Product Recalls 2025).
6. Retail Transparency: QR/ID Display and Consumer Access
On the retail end:
- Units must display a QR or scannable code linking directly to live data on test results, compliance status, and batch/manufacturing details.
- Age-gating and security procedures now match marijuana dispensary standards.
Readiness Checklist: Hemp Businesses Adapting to Metrc Seed-to-Sale
Transitioning from a lightly regulated hemp marketplace to a full-fledged seed-to-sale system takes substantial preparation. Use this checklist to ensure your brand or operation is ready for 2025's new compliance era:
- Compliance Registration: Obtain all new required state licenses (hemp distributor, cannabis manufacturer, adult-use retail partner, as relevant).
- Metrc Account Creation: Complete state-mandated training and establish Metrc administrator accounts for your facility.
- SKU and Item Mapping: Catalog every product SKU and ensure it fits cannabis-compliant item categories.
- Batching Protocols: Establish clear, auditable lot and sub-batch records for all products prepping for sale.
- Unique Identifiers: Integrate Metrc RFID tags or QR codes for every package, including transitional inventory.
- Lab COA Compliance: Standardize COA uploads, verify laboratory credentialing, and confirm new analyte cutoffs (pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, etc.) matching or exceeding cannabis thresholds.
- Labeling Overhaul: Re-design labels to meet cannabis retail requirements (FAQs, batch ID, warnings, “Intended for 21+” language).
- Recall Protocols: Create SOPs for voluntary and regulatory product recalls in conjunction with Metrc system holds.
- Retail Partner Coordination: Train all distribution and retail partners on new acceptance, intake, and returns workflows.
- Ongoing Reporting: Set up regular internal audits to reconcile Metrc logs with physical inventory.
Key Takeaways for Hemp and Cannabis Businesses
- Regulatory Momentum is Accelerating: More states will migrate intoxicating hemp into cannabis tracking. Early participation sets brands up for long-term market access.
- Compliance Complexity Increases: The days of minimal oversight are coming to a close for hemp-derived intoxicants—thorough preparation is non-negotiable.
- Partnerships Will Evolve: Manufacturers and distributors should actively seek compliance support, education, and technology providers to smooth the seed-to-sale learning curve.
For up-to-date compliance resources, state-by-state insights, and onboarding checklists, visit CannabisRegulations.ai and stay ahead of the evolving regulatory curve. Stay compliant, stay competitive.
