Practically all licensed companies in California are complying with emergency state rules aimed toward eradicating intoxicating hemp merchandise from the market, Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced Thursday.
The principles, first launched by Newsom in September 2024, are a part of an ongoing crackdown on hemp-derived merchandise containing THC and different psychoactive cannabinoids. The governor cited an pressing want to guard kids from entry to intoxicating substances, significantly these bought at fuel stations, liquor retailers and smoke retailers.
In response to the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Management (ABC), 99.7% of licensed institutions inspected in 2025 had been present in compliance. ABC brokers have visited 11,445 areas and seized 7,151 unlawful merchandise from 148 companies since enforcement started.
“Our licensees have overwhelmingly complied with the regulation,” stated ABC Chief Deputy Director Frank Robles. “On the few events when ABC brokers discovered gadgets throughout inspections, they’ve ensured these dangerous merchandise are faraway from cabinets.”
Restrictions and attain
The emergency guidelines prohibit the sale of meals, drinks and dietary dietary supplements made with industrial hemp in the event that they comprise THC or comparable intoxicating compounds. Additionally they apply to sure medicinal CBD merchandise, regardless of CBD itself being nonintoxicating.
Underneath the present rules, shoppers have to be 21 or older to buy hemp merchandise or different cannabinoids meant for human consumption. Merchandise are additionally restricted to a most serving dimension of 5.
Newsom stated the earlier lax framework allowed intoxicating hemp merchandise to proliferate with minimal oversight. “We’re doing our half to make sure intoxicating hemp merchandise are out of the attain of weak teams like kids,” he stated in a assertion. “We should at all times put the security of Californians first.”
Extension by means of September
The emergency rules had been initially set to run out on March 25, 2025, however had been prolonged by the state’s Public Well being Division. They’re now anticipated to stay in impact till Sept. 25, as lawmakers proceed to work towards everlasting legislative options.
The extension follows the failure of California legislators to go a complete regulatory framework addressing the rising availability of intoxicating hemp-based merchandise. Within the absence of recent legal guidelines, the Newsom administration has relied on emergency rulemaking authority to implement restrictions.
Trade pushback
Whereas the marijuana business has largely supported the crackdown as a public well being measure, the hemp business has raised alarms about unintended penalties. Critics advised SFGate that the administration has “abused” the emergency rulemaking course of and that the ban threatens respectable companies producing nonintoxicating CBD merchandise utilized by medical sufferers.
The rise of hemp-derived intoxicants—usually marketed as authorized alternate options to marijuana—has led to mounting confusion amongst shoppers and regulators. Critics argue that the crackdown, whereas aimed toward high-THC hemp, can also be undermining the broader CBD market, blurring the regulatory distinction between hemp and marijuana and eroding public belief.
Cali is hashish pioneer
California was the primary state to legalize medicinal hashish with the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, adopted by voter approval of leisure hashish in 2016. The state’s regulatory framework requires hashish companies to function safely, label and take a look at merchandise for contaminants, and limit entry to minors.
Nevertheless, hemp producers have exploited a authorized loophole within the 2018 Farm Invoice that legalized hemp and its downstream merchandise. Wording within the landmark measure has been interpreted to permit manufacturing and gross sales of hemp-derived merchandise containing excessive ranges of delta-8 THC and different artificial compounds—usually with out the safeguards required for hashish. These intoxicating hemp merchandise have appeared in each massive and small shops and are often focused at kids, and marketed for his or her psychoactive results.
The present emergency rules in California prohibit the sale of such merchandise and are enforced by a number of businesses, together with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Management, the Division of Public Well being, the Division of Hashish Management, the California Division of Tax and Charge Administration, and state and native regulation enforcement.
