The real purpose of the legalization of marijuana in California was NOT for the revenues or to control the sale of illegal marijuana. Just the opposite—the purpose was to hide the sale of illegal marijuana behind the sale of “legal” weed. Last year the tax revenues from the sale of legal marijuana were one third the expected revenue. Yet, marijuana is everywhere. It is the cartels and gangs that have succeeded, while investors in legal facilities are losing their shirts.
Now, the State is going to allow marijuana cafes—starting January 1. But who will monitor the source of the marijuana? Again, this is a method to allow gangs and cartels prosper. Now the State is cracking down on legal edibles—which means the black market illegal products will make a fortune. Looks like the Satet government is in bed with the gangs and cartels. No surprise—Sacramento is corrupt.
New California hemp restrictions on sale of THC edibles, drinks to remain in place
A hemp industry group said the “draconian” new regulations banning THC-containing edibles made from hemp would devastate the growing hemp industry.
Hillel Aron, Courthousenews, 10/11/24 https://www.courthousenews.com/new-california-hemp-restrictions-on-sale-of-thc-edibles-drinks-to-remain-in-place/
LOS ANGELES (CN) — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge, on Friday, rejected an attempt by a hemp industry group to block new California regulations banning the retail sale of hemp food and beverages containing detectable amounts of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — the part that gets you high.
The state Department of Health proposed the new regulations — which also set a strict age requirements on “industrial hemp final food products” to 21-years-old, and limited servings of such products to five per package — in September, prompting the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, and a number of manufacturers of THC-containing edibles, including Cheech & Chong’s Cannabis Co., to file a lawsuit seeking to first temporarily block the new regulations from going into effect.
“This draconian regulation alone will essentially devastate an emerging industry that consists largely of small business owners,” the plaintiffs wrote in their complaint. “It’s akin to requiring candy to stop containing sugar… starting tomorrow.”
In his ruling, Superior Court Judge Stephen Goorvitch found that the plaintiffs had failed to show that the new rules “will cause widespread and catastrophic destruction of the hemp industry,” noting that manufacturers can still sell “THC through the legal cannabis system in California, i.e., with a license.” The fact that the companies may lose money, he wrote, was no reason to issue a temporary restraining order.
“The state’s interest in protecting the health and safety of its residents — especially children — and closing the loophole that permitted the distribution of high does of THC outside the regulated cannabis system outweighs the potential economic harm referenced in plaintiff’s declarations,” Goorvitch wrote.
Since recreation marijuana use was legalized in California in 2021, regular retail stores, gas stations and drug stores. have sold “industrial hemp food” like gummies, chocolate bars and cookies with hemp-extracted THC “in amounts exceeding those allowed in legal cannabis edible packages,” Goorvitch said.
“Some manufacturers, well-aware of this loophole, advertised these edible products as affording a ‘high’ akin to that found in products sold in marijuana dispensaries. As a result, over the past three years, the department received numerous complaints, including one involving a death and seven others involving illness or injury,” Goorvitch wrote.
The plaintiffs had also argued that the department didn’t have a right to now try to amend the legalization law since it had not initially implemented any age or dosage restrictions when it was first enacted.
Goorvitch found that based on the evidence presented so far, the state was well within its legal right to issue the emergency regulations based on the reports of death and illness.
Governor Gavin Newsom praised the judge’s ruling, saying in a written statement, “We will not sit on our hands while bad actors in the hemp industry target our children with dangerous and intoxicating hemp products containing THC at our retail stores. Industry concerns about the regulations are more about protecting their profit than the public. We are pleased the court saw through their bogus arguments and put the safety of Californians first in its decision.”
U.S. Hemp Roundtable General Counsel Jonathan Miller, in an email, expressed disappointment in the ruling.
“This is only the first step in what could be a lengthy process. We are currently reviewing all of our options for proceeding. We still hold out hope that Governor Newsom will come to the table and work with industry to achieve our mutual goal — to robustly regulate hemp products and keep them out of the hands of children — without devastating hemp farmers, business and consumers as does his emergency regulation,” he added.
The edible ban does not affect CBD products, like creams, that contain no THC. It also does not impact the sale of any cannabis products, which remain on sale at cannabis dispensaries.
