What the Hemp Industry is Fighting For This 4/20

[PRESS RELEASE] – AUSTIN, Texas, April 17, 2025 – As 4/20 approaches, a day widely recognized for celebrating cannabis culture, Hometown Hero, a leading manufacturer of hemp-derived cannabinoid products, is using the moment to spotlight the broader challenges and opportunities facing the legal hemp industry.

With federal uncertainty, inconsistent state laws and new legislation threatening to dismantle entire markets, including Texas’s booming hemp sector, this 4/20 is about more than festivity. It’s about protecting an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions in revenue, and millions of adult consumers and veterans who continue to use hemp-derived products for wellness, relief and personal choice.

Following is the official 4/20 wish list for 2025:

• Common-sense regulation, not prohibition: The future of hemp depends on smart rules that protect consumers while preserving access, jobs and innovation, not blanket bans.
• Keep families working: The hemp-derived cannabinoid industry supports more than 325,000 jobs and $13.2 billion in wages across the U.S., according to Whitney Economics.
• Protect consumer choice: Millions of adults and veterans continue to use hemp-derived cannabinoids to improve overall wellness. Responsible access must be preserved.
• More education, less stigma: Hemp-derived cannabinoids are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, but conflation with marijuana, along with fearmongering and misinformation, continue to fuel misperceptions.
• Federal stability: Preservation and codification of the 2018 Farm Bill would support and advance an already vibrant hemp industry.
• Smarter tax policy: Excessive taxes on legal hemp products hurt businesses and restrict access, particularly for those who use hemp for daily wellness.
• Encourage innovation: From farming to formulation, the hemp industry continues to drive product breakthroughs. Thoughtful policy should support, not stifle, innovation.
• Better banking access: Despite being federally legal, hemp companies still face hurdles to securing banking, credit and financial services, holding back growth.

A Booming Industry Worth Protecting

In Texas alone, hemp-derived cannabinoids generated $4.3 billion in sales, $268 million in tax revenue and supported 53,300 jobs with wages totaling more than $2.1 billion. Nationally, the market is estimated to be worth $28 billion to 35 billion, with more than $1.5 billion in tax revenues to states.

“This year, 4/20 isn’t just a celebration; it’s a call to action,” Hometown Hero co-founder and CEO Lukas Gilkey said. “We’re working at every level, from Congress to local statehouses, to ensure the hemp industry is preserved through fair, responsible legislation. Texans and Americans don’t want prohibition. They want commonsense policies that protect public safety, create jobs and ensure adult access to hemp products they trust.”

Getting Involved

Texans who want to help protect hemp in the Lone Star State can visit the Texas Hemp Business Council website to learn how to get involved.