The convenience-store industry is rallying around hemp-derived beverages as federal regulators prepare to implement sweeping changes that could reshape the category. With a November 2026 deadline looming for new hemp regulations, retailers are increasingly vocal about their role in responsibly selling these products while keeping illicit alternatives off the market.
At the inaugural CSP Cannabis Forum, Melissa Vonder Haar, CSP Cannabis Board chair, sat down with industry leaders Chris Bambury, president at Bonneau Markets in California, and Jake Bullock, the co-founder and CEO of Cann—both members of the CSP C-Store Cannabis Board. Together, they outlined the regulatory landscape facing convenience retailers.
"They're not really trying to ban our products," Bullock explained. "They're trying to ban products we all agree shouldn't be in the market—hundreds of milligrams of synthetic cannabinoids that don't have research behind them."
The challenge now is proving the industry can self-regulate while preserving low-potency, tested products for adult consumers.
"We are responsible, compliant retail establishments that can regulate this very effectively," Bullock said. "Give us alcohol's rules and we'll abide by them."
Listen to the full conversation on the “At Your Convenience” podcast and subscribe for more insights on cannabis, regulations and the future of convenience retail.
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