Congress needs to think about how hemp helps people like me

I am 76 years old, and after decades of struggling with insomnia, I can finally go to bed at night and wake up feeling rested. I know what it is like to spend years searching for relief. I also know how frightening it is to think that something that has finally helped you could suddenly become harder to access. That is why Dec. 11 matters so much to me. Unless Congress acts, new federal restrictions on hemp-derived products are scheduled to take effect that day. For people like me who have come to rely on these products as part of our everyday lives, this is not an abstract policy debate. It is deeply personal. Related: U.S. Senate throws Minnesota’s hemp-based THC drinks and gummies industry a lifeline My struggle with insomnia began when I was pregnant with my first child. Wanting to protect my baby, I tried every “natural” remedy I could find. Nothing worked. After 13 years, three children and countless sleepless nights, I suffered a nervous breakdown and found myself in a psychiatrist’s office. What followed were decades of relying on medications that helped me sleep but also left me struggling with dependence. For more than 30 years, I tried to manage on smaller and smaller doses. I carried tremendous shame about needing them. At times, I felt like a criminal, even though all I wanted was to sleep. Looking back, I wish I had not spent so many years feeling ashamed. Needing help does not make someone weak or a failure. Eventually, my search for relief led me to hemp products. I began using sleep gummies and was pleasantly surprised by the difference they made for me. They helped me sleep, and I also found that they helped with the chronic back pain I had been living with. Today, I can go to bed and wake up feeling rested. I feel calmer and more organized. At 76 years old, I sometimes say I feel 20 years younger. I can only speak to my own experience. I know that what works for me may not work for everyone, and no one should make decisions about medications without appropriate medical guidance. But experiences like mine should be part of the conversation as lawmakers decide what comes next for hemp-derived products. Related: Hemp industry fighting federal ban with bills to regulate, not outlaw, THC gummies and drinks Getting a good night’s sleep has not erased the hardships I have experienced, but it has made it easier for me to face each day and continue living my life on my own terms. Now, the possibility of losing access to a product that has helped me scares me. I do not want to go backward or return to the dependence I struggled with for so many years. Congress still has time to prevent that from happening. I hope lawmakers will listen to patients and consumers like me and find a responsible path forward that protects access to lawful hemp products while establishing commonsense safeguards for the marketplace. For people like me, this is not about politics. It is about protecting access to something that has helped us live better. I hope Congress remembers the people behind this debate before Dec. 11. Marjorie Schalles is a retired administrative professional who lives in Minneapolis. Related