National Study Warns Congress: Hemp Beverage Ban Would Eliminate Safer Alternatives to Alcohol

Real-world observational clinical study finds low-dose hemp-infused beverages improve well-being and reduces alcohol use as Congress considers restrictive language in the FY 2026 Appropriations Bill.

BALTIMORE, Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A large groundbreaking national study by MoreBetter Ltd, a leader in real-world data and public-health research, shows that low-dose hemp-derived infused beverages are linked to improved well-being, reduced alcohol use, and minimal impairment. See the full study results here.

As Congress moves toward finalizing the FY 2026 Agriculture–FDA Appropriations Bill this week, MoreBetter Ltd has released new data showing low dose hemp beverages are associated with measurable public health benefits, and urge lawmakers to review the evidence before adopting restrictive hemp language in the omnibus package.

"The data show that adults are using hemp beverages responsibly to relax, reduce alcohol consumption, and feel better without high levels of intoxication," said Kevin Provost, CEO of MoreBetter Ltd. "Banning these products now would erase years of harm-reduction progress and contradict the Real World Evidence that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Congress claim to rely on."

MoreBetter's 22-day Infused Beverage Study evaluated 2,580 adult participants who consumed 1 of 20 different hemp beverages with 1–10 mg THC per serving, which is the same dosage range found in most commercial products on the market today. Participants reported measurable improvements across multiple health domains.

Key Study Findings:

• Well-being: WHO-5 scores (overall well-being) increased from 42.93 at baseline to 52.67 at day 21 — a +9.74-point (+22.7%) improvement, exceeding the minimally important difference threshold for clinical significance.
  
  
• Psychological distress: DASS results showed substantial reductions — Depression −50.7% (8.15→4.02), Stress −45.0% (11.06→6.08), and Anxiety −48.8% (4.73→2.42) indicating broad mood stabilization.
  
  
• Alcohol use: The probability of daily alcohol consumption decreased 12.7 points (from 32.9% to 20.1%), while the likelihood of heavy use (3+ drinks/day) dropped 38% to 25%.
  
  
• Intoxication & hangover: Participants were generally unlikely to report intoxication. Among all reports of feeling intoxicated (N = 3,252), 98.3% described effects as barely noticeable to manageable, and 95.8% reported no hangover symptoms the next day.
  
  
• Dose–risk context: Average daily consumption (~6.6 mg THC; ~11.6 mg total cannabinoids) corresponded to a very low predicted probability of negative events (4% and 7%, respectively). While risk increased modestly with combined alcohol or cannabis use, infused beverage–only use consistently showed the lowest risk profile.
  
  
• Health safety perception: 77% of participants rated hemp beverages as safer or much safer than alcohol

"This is not a legalization debate, it's a data-driven public-health issue," said Tyler Dautrich, MoreBetter COO. "Our findings show clear benefits for mood, quality of life, and alcohol reduction without meaningful risk of impairment."

The current FY 2026 Appropriations language would redefine hemp to ban any product containing more than 0.4 mg total THC per container, which is a limit so low that it would outlaw virtually every hemp-derived product on the market, even low-dose beverages.

MoreBetter made the full results of the non-interventional observational clinical study available on their website so that legislators and policy makers can consider regulations based on real-world safety and outcomes rather than arbitrary THC thresholds.

"We urge Congress to review the actual evidence before signing a provision that unintentionally undermines public health, small business innovation, and consumer choice," Provost added. "MoreBetter will continue to share our data with regulators and lawmakers committed to smart policy over panic."

About the Study:
MoreBetter's non-interventional real world observational clinical study is the largest ongoing study ever conducted to investigate how hemp-derived infused beverages impact quality of life and alcohol consumption, among other endpoints.  Study participants used 1 of 20 unique infused beverage products for 14 days, following a 1 week period of no-product use (baseline phase). Participants reported daily outcomes across mood, sleep, and behavioral domains including alcohol use and other cannabis consumption.  For full data analysis from the study please visit morebetter.ltd/functional-beverage-study

About MoreBetter Ltd:
Founded in 2014, MoreBetter Ltd is a research and technology company that collects real-world data to understand how functional ingredients impact health and quality of life. Its Penzai platform enables consumers, researchers, and product developers to evaluate efficacy and safety of wellness products in natural settings.

Media Contact:
[email protected]
www.morebetter.ltd

SOURCE MoreBetter