Advocates for hemp on Wednesday decried a provision of the Republican government funding law signed by President Donald Trump that tightens restrictions on the versatile plant — a move critics say will devastate a $30 billion industry.

The new restrictions set a stricter limit on the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the psychoactive chemical in cannabis — in order to close a loophole that allowed for the sale of unregulated food and beverages containing intoxicating hemp-derived compounds.

Twenty-two Democratic senators — including advocates for legal recreational or medical marijuana — joined almost all Republicans in voting against an amendment introduced by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to strip out the restrictions from the final bill. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was the only oth

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