Florida officials have removed nearly 11,000 packages of hemp products for violating child-protection standards for packaging, labeling, and marketing throughout the state during the Florida Department of Agriculture’s “Operation Safe Summer.”
In a statement, Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said the agency has “drawn a hard line in Florida when it comes to protecting our children from dangerous and deceptive hemp products.”
“’Operation Safe Summer’ is our latest effort to crack down on bad actors who think they can skirt the law, ignore public safety, and profit off high-potency, intoxicating hemp products that endanger our children. We will not tire in our commitment to cleaning up this industry, holding violators accountable, and sending a clear message: if you refuse to follow the law, you won’t be doing business in Florida.” — Simpson in a press release
The agency in April and June advised businesses in April and June about the planned enforcement of new Agriculture Department rules around intoxicating hemp-infused products. The new rules, enacted in 2023, include:
Prohibition on specified color additives.
Mandatory child-resistant packaging in accordance with ASTM International D 3475-20, Standard Classification of Child Resistant Packages.
Certificates of analysis must now include laboratory information, the concentration of total delta-9 THC, and confirm the presence or absence of prohibited substances and pathogens.
Restrictions on marketing and advertising of hemp and hemp extract intended for human consumption.
Enhanced labeling requirements, including the use of common household measurements for serving sizes and the provision of a scannable barcode or QR code, must link to the certificate of analysis within three or fewer steps.
Water activity for cannabis flower or leaves must be 0.60 (±0.05).
Since July 2023, the Agriculture Department has uncovered more than 738,000 packages of hemp products in violation of child-protection standards.
