California Gov. Directs Action Against ‘Illegal Hemp Products’ to Protect Youth

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) last week directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to take action to protect youth from “mislabeled and potentially harmful hemp-infused products,” according to an April 26 press release.

“Mislabeled and misleading products do not belong in the marketplace — especially when they put our kids’ health and safety at risk. 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.” — Newsom, in a statement

Per the governor’s request, CDPH and ABC officials have since warned their respective licensees it is illegal to sell hemp products that do not satisfy the specific labeling requirements under the state’s Health and Safety Code.

Under the rules, all packaging of industrial hemp products must include:

• A link (via QR code or a similar method) to the product’s certificate of analysis by an independent testing laboratory providing the product batch’s name, manufacturer, batch number, total cannabinoid content, and levels of contaminants.
• A product expiration or best-by date, if applicable.
• A warning that children or people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use the product without first consulting a healthcare professional.
• A statement that cannabinoid-infused products should be kept out of reach of children.
• The statement, “THE FDA HAS NOT EVALUATED THIS PRODUCT FOR SAFETY OR EFFICACY.”

“Distributing or selling products that do not meet these requirements is a crime, and can result in the loss of an applicable license,” the governor’s office said in the press release.