Amid a growing trend of illegal hemp product sales, especially to youth, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week directed state officials to issue notices addressing the issue.
In an April 26 press release, the governor directed the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to address the circulation of mislabeled and potentially harmful hemp-infused products by raising awareness of existing law.
“Mislabeled and misleading products do not belong in the marketplace—especially when they put our kids’ health and safety at risk,” said Mr. Newsom. “Today, the state is taking action to protect Californians, especially our kids, as we work to further close loopholes and increase enforcement to prevent children from accessing hemp and cannabis products.”
While hemp-derived nonintoxicating products are regulated separately from the legal cannabis market in California, there is mounting concern over the presence of illegally distributed products that are intoxicating, the statement said.
At the governor’s behest, both departments have informed their licensees that selling products that are mislabeled or misbranded is illegal under the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Laws. Violations could lead to license revocation, as well as fines and imprisonment.
California, along with 20 other states, is also pushing for tighter regulations on hemp at a federal level. Last month, the state’s attorney general joined forces with counterparts nationwide to urge the House Committee on Agriculture to revise the definition of hemp in the upcoming five-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill.
“Hemp-derived intoxicants have proliferated across our states, posing a significant threat to public health and safety, and benefiting unregulated, untaxed, and unaccountable market actors,” the collective statement said.
