A Kentucky-based hemp company is taking legal action against the state of Tennessee over a new law that it says unfairly restricts its ability to sell products and communicate with customers. On Wednesday, Cornbread Hemp filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The suit challenges House Bill 1376, which is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. According to the complaint, HB 1376 would require hemp products to flow through in-state wholesalers and brick-and-mortar retailers before reaching consumers. Attorneys state this would effectively ban direct-to-consumer shipping from out-of-state suppliers like Cornbread Hemp.
The attorneys argue the system "unconstitutionally discriminates against [hemp-derived products] and unduly burdens interstate commerce," forcing the company to withdraw from the Tennessee market or establish a physical presence in the state.
Cornbread Hemp states that while a three-tier system may work for alcohol under the Twenty-First Amendment, there is no constitutional basis for applying it to hemp products as well.
Read more at WLKY
