Missouri Regulators Won’t Fully Enforce Hemp Products Ban

Missouri regulators said last week they would not enforce a large portion of Gov. Mike Parson’s (R) executive order to ban intoxicating hemp products, the Missouri Independent reports. The original order called for banning all products containing delta-8 THC or similar hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids, but regulators now say they will only embargo products they consider to be potentially attractive to children.

“In regard to psychoactive cannabis products, the Department will focus its efforts on the identification of ‘misbranded’ products,” the Department of Health and Senior Services’ general counsel Richard Moore wrote in a letter.

“The Department has no intention at this time to embargo additional psychoactive cannabis products as adulterated. Further, within 30 days after referral to the Attorney General’s Office, the Department will release all currently embargoed products and remove all embargo tags.” — Moore, in the letter

Gov. Parson signed the executive order banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products on August 1 — but about a week before the policy could take effect,  Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft rejected the governor’s order, arguing the emergency rules did not meet the criteria laid out by state law. Following the rejection, officials will have to submit rules for a hemp product ban like they would any other law.

Earlier this month, Missouri regulators announced the forming of a new joint task force aimed at stopping the spread of “unlicensed psychoactive cannabis products” in the state.