California Hemp Products Ban Now In Effect

The hemp products crackdown proposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) took effect this week after officials approved the emergency rules he proposed earlier this month.

Under the new rules, which took effect Monday, September 23, any hemp-derived cannabinoid products sold in the state must contain “no detectable amount of total THC” and can only be sold to individuals aged 21 or older. Additionally, the rules set a five-serving-size cap for such products.

The ban has upended a hemp retail sector covering infused beverages, capsules, gummies, and even topicals.

CBD product manufacturer Charlotte’s Web said in a press release the all-out ban on hemp-derived THC is an overreach that targets many non-intoxicating products with health benefits.

“While we fully support efforts to regulate synthetic and intoxicating products, we strongly oppose the inclusion of non-intoxicating, natural CBD products within this regulatory framework. We believe these regulations are overreaching and unnecessarily restrict access to safe, non-intoxicating hemp products by lumping them in with an entirely different class of products. Other states like Colorado and Virginia have set shining examples of how to clean up the market while safeguarding products that consumers depend upon for their health and wellness.” — Bill Morachnick, Charlotte’s Web CEO, in a statement

The governor’s office said the ban will prevent children in the state from being exposed to intoxicating products. “We will not sit on our hands as drug peddlers target our children with dangerous and unregulated hemp products containing THC at our retail stores,” Newsom said in a statement when he proposed the rules.