California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an emergency order making hemp-based THC in the state.
As reported in SF Gate, "retailers will no longer be able to sell popular products like drinks made with hemp THC, an intoxicating cannabis compound, and many types of medicinal products made with CBD, a nonintoxicating compound."
The hemp THC loophole is an unintended consequence of the 2018 Farm Bill, which created a gray area in cannabis regulation. The bill legalized hemp containing 0.3% or less delta-9 THC, inadvertently allowing for the production and sale of other psychoactive cannabis compounds derived from hemp.
Manufacturers have exploited this oversight by extracting and concentrating minor cannabinoids or chemically converting CBD into substances like delta-8 THC. This has led to widespread availability of largely unregulated psychoactive hemp products, even in states where recreational cannabis remains illegal.
From SF Gate:
Newsom has argued that lax rules have allowed underage youth to access intoxicating products, and he filed emergency rules earlier this month to completely ban them. But the hemp industry has said that the Newsom administration was abusing the emergency rulemaking process to pass the hemp THC ban and that banning hemp THC would have disastrous effects on medical patients who rely on hemp to treat a wide range of health conditions.
The Office of Administrative Law agreed with Newsom, writing in the order signed Monday that the emergency rules are "deemed to be an emergency situation." The ban on hemp THC will be effective until March 25, 2025.
Previously:
• Eight facts about hemp-hating, Hitler-heiling MAGA weirdo Mary Miller
• US Navy bans hemp shampoos, lotions, and soaps
• Federal judge says people in Indiana are allowed to smoke hemp
