California Moves to Shield Youth Against Illicit H
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Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom of California directed the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Department of Public Health to issue notices on the distribution and sale of illicit hemp products. This comes after it was determined that youth in the state can be exposed to intoxicating drugs through illicit hemp products.
The objective of these notices is to ensure that laws are complied with, to protect the youth and others in the state from possibly harmful hemp-infused products while restricting their access to those products.
In his statement, Governor Newsom explained that misleading and mislabelled products didn’t belong in the marketplace, particularly when they put the health and safety of children at risk. He also noted that government officials were focused on increasing enforcement and closing loopholes to prevent kids from accessing marijuana and hemp products.
This announcement comes after intoxicating hemp drinks were seen in various retail stores across the state, which makes it easier for younger individuals to access them.
At the moment, hemp products are required to comply with consumer safety laws, which include stringent labelling requirements. The sale and distribution of products that don’t meet the aforementioned requirements is a crime and may result in the loss of one’s license.
The notice issued by the California Department of Public Health states that all licensees need to operate their legal business in a lawful manner and are required to comply with laws that impact their business operations. It highlights that industrial hemp product labels or packages that don’t comply with the stipulated requirements are said to be illegal.
Industrial hemp product manufacturers and distributors are also required to register with the Food and Drug Branch under the California department of Public Health. In addition to this, they must acquire an Industrial Hemp Enrollment and Oversight authorization.
Many license holders sell hemp products, meaning they are at risk of liability if they sell any illegal products. Additionally, manufacturers are forbidden from marketing or advertising to children. Any products or packaging that may be considered attractive to kids should be treated with caution.
Any food, beverage products or consumer dietary supplements manufactured using hemp have to comply with the Sherman Act. Products that violate the Sherman Act are subject to a number of regulatory actions, including embargo, recall or destruction.
Violations of this act are misdemeanors and are subject to fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment. The public health department also has the authority to pursue administrative disciplinary action against licensees that sell hemp products which violate the aforementioned act.
The process of rooting out illegal hemp products from the state could benefit from the testing equipment commercialized by many companies such as Astrotech Corp. (NASDAQ: ASTC), so that businesses that are selling legitimate products don’t become victimized inadvertently.
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