Study Shows Low-THC Hemp Beverages Decrease Alcohol Consumption As Senate Hemp Legislation Looms

OG article by Madeline Colli

November 13, 2025

A new study by MoreBetter Ltd challenges impending Senate hemp restrictions, revealing low-dose THC beverages (1-10 mg per serving) boost well-being, curb alcohol use, and pose minimal impairment risks. Analyzing 2,580 adults over 22 days, findings include: WHO-5 well-being scores rose 22.7% (42.93 to 52.67); psychological distress fell sharply (depression -50.7%, stress -45%, anxiety -48.8%); daily alcohol probability dropped 12.7% (32.9% to 20.1%), heavy use by 38%; 98.3% of intoxication reports were "barely noticeable to manageable," with 95.8% hangover-free. Average intake (~6.6 mg THC) linked to just 4-7% negative event risk; 77% deemed them safer than alcohol.

CEO Kevin Provost stressed: "Adults use them responsibly to relax and reduce alcohol without high intoxication. Banning would erase harm-reduction progress." COO Tyler Dautrich called it a "data-driven public-health issue," urging Congress to review evidence before passing the FY 2026 Agriculture-FDA Bill, which redefines hemp to ban products over 0.4 mg THC per container—outlawing most market items and threatening innovation. Data is public on MoreBetter's site.

The US Hemp Roundtable echoed warnings on November 10, 2025, slamming Senate minibus language as a pawn in government reopening, potentially wiping 95% of the $28.4 billion industry, 300,000 jobs, and $1.5 billion in tax revenue (per Whitney Economics). Most CBD products exceed the limit, harming reliant consumers. General Counsel Jonathan Miller: "Recriminalizing hemp closes farms and disrupts well-being. We back Sen. Rand Paul's push for a regulated industry."