KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would regulate a substance called Delta-8. It’s a form of THC made from CBD, and it’s legal in Tennessee.

The bill is making its way through the House and Senate of the Tennessee General Assembly right now.

“Delta-8 is a hemp-derived cannabinoid, it is made from CBD. It is a form of THC but it is not Delta-9 THC,” Andy Chesney, owner of Hemp House in Knoxville, explained.

Delta-8 is also the focal point of a bill being considered by Tennessee lawmakers.

“What we’re proposing is to have it regulated, and we’re still working on whether it would be the Department of Agriculture, they’re the department that regulates the hemp to be sure that it’s legal hemp and not marijuana. Or even by the alcoholic beverage commission that regulates package liquor stores, that licenses them, inspects them, and make sure that we don’t sell that product to people under the age of 21,” said Senator Richard Briggs.

The legislation proposed began as a ban, but a recent amendment changed the focus of the bill to be on regulation.

“Really the genie is out of the bottle on that, and we really can’t do it. It is legal federally because it is synthetically derived from hemp, which is legal, just like CBD is legal. Yet it is a psychoactive substance very much like marijuana, that we certainly don’t want to have in the hands of children,” Briggs said.

Chesney says he ultimately thinks regulations are good, especially if it allows his business to continue to operate.

“I think regulations are good because public safety is at the heart of the regulations. We are already doing so much, we would be paying tax and we might have to change some of our packagings, but overall I think it would be a good thing,” Chesney said.

You can read through the proposed legislation, here.