California's stance on intoxicating hemp products is marked by regulatory rigor, as Governor Gavin Newsom signs Assembly Bill 8, a law aimed squarely at aligning hemp regulation with already established cannabis controls. Originally reported by the Governor's office on October 2nd, the bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, moves to curb the prevalence of unregulated and potentially hazardous hemp goods, particularly those that may affect the youth. According to the Governor's announcement, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has reported a high compliance rate of 99.78% amongst licensees in upholding the regulations outlined last year. Having inspected thousands of businesses, ABC agents have removed a significant number of illegal products from circulation.
Governor Newsom's statement underscores the intention behind AB 8, highlighting the safety of Californians: "For too long, nefarious hemp manufacturers have been exploiting loopholes to make their intoxicating products easily available to our most vulnerable communities – that stops today." The legislative move serves as a response to both federal inaction and the exploitative practices by certain hemp producers, coming after the state had previously enacted emergency regulations to tackle the issue. Now, with the Department of Public Health's previous measures already showing substantial compliance, the bill aims to further secure that juveniles are shielded from the reach of intoxicating hemp.
The new law sets up a clearer demarcation on how hemp will be managed in the cannabis market, enforces against unlawful cannabinoid products, and clarifies when non-intoxicating hemp can be used in non-cannabis market products. It commits to a framework that mirrors California’s approach to cannabis, enforcing regulations on product labeling, testing for contaminants, and preventing child access. Particularly, it reflects California's longstanding relationship with cannabis regulation, stretching back to the approval of medicinal use in 1996 and the legal recreational use in 2016.
Department of Cannabis Control Director Nicole Elliott praised AB 8 for bolstering California’s cannabis industry and consumer safety, saying, "By closing loopholes around intoxicating hemp products and bringing them under the same strict rules as cannabis, this legislation protects consumers, ensures fair competition for licensed businesses, and strengthens the integrity of our regulated marketplace." Elliott's remarks, as published by the Governor's office, emphasize the bill's comprehensive approach to tighten up the legislation surrounding intoxicating hemp and to unify the regulation under a single comprehensive framework. The success of existing regulations paves the way for AB 8 to weave intoxicating hemp into California's existing regulatory fabric, bringing a dichotomous hemp market under a more centralized and stringent control mechanism.
