Former NFL Player Battles to Save Hemp Industry from Looming Crackdown

As of November 16th, 2025, former NFL player Kyle Turley is sounding the alarm on an impending piece of legislation that he says could have devastating consequences for the hemp industry. Turley, who opened his own cannabis dispensary in California five years ago, has long advocated for the medicinal benefits of marijuana.

The new law, which is set to be signed into law, includes strict new rules for hemp products that critics argue threaten to outlaw mainstream drinks, creams, gummies, oils and vapes. Hemp is a plant related to marijuana that produces the active ingredient THC at much lower levels.

Turley warns the bill will "completely devastate the hemp industry" and "criminalize American citizens" for using hemp-based products for medicinal purposes. He believes the legislation, which was championed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as a way to protect children from intoxicating products, will do more harm than good.

Turley himself credits marijuana for saving his life after developing a "20-year addiction to pharmaceuticals" to alleviate the pain from his NFL career. He says cannabis has cured him of a range of health issues, from vertigo to seizures, and kept his family together. The 50-year-old is now in Washington lobbying against the hemp provision, arguing it will cost many people their jobs and endanger lives rather than protect them.