A former NFL safety turned shandy-maker says regulate hemp drinks, don't ban them

Micah Hyde spent 12 years in the NFL, retired in 2025, and now runs Hyde's Hail Mary, a malt-forward hemp THC shandy. In an op-ed published October 13, he argues Congress should treat hemp beverages the way it treats alcohol, with rules and enforcement, rather than letting a new federal definition wipe the category out on December 11.

The business details are the interesting part. Hyde says he expected twenty-somethings and instead found most buyers are between 35 and 55, many of them parents, split nearly evenly between men and women. What they want is a way to unwind without a rough next morning. The drinks sell in Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and New York, and in New York they go through licensed dispensaries.

He also describes what the uncertainty costs a small brand. Two distribution opportunities fell through this year because distributors did not know how the rules would land, and since beverages expire, he cannot stockpile. His best-selling flavor is nearly sold out and he has to decide how much more to make without knowing if it can be sold.

His proposal is a middle path: 21-plus sales, independent testing, clear labeling and a cap he would accept at 10 milligrams of THC per container. It is one founder's opinion, and a self-interested one, but it is a useful snapshot of who is actually buying THC drinks. If your merchandising still treats them as a party product, the customer data suggests rethinking that.