Humboldt County Applauds Governor Newsom’s Regulations on Intoxicating Hemp

Press release from the County of Humboldt: 

Governor Gavin Newsom today issued proposed emergency regulations to protect youth from the adverse health effects of dangerous hemp products. The products contain intoxicating levels of THC and do not go through the highly regulated cannabis environment, and are sold across the state, especially beverages and food products. Humboldt County officials today supported these regulations and look forward to working with the legislature, stakeholders and the Governor on a more permanent solution.

Rex Bohn, Humboldt County First District Supervisor:

“Hemp was never meant to intoxicate. That is why the state went through years and years of hard work, thousands of hours and meetings with every agency and stakeholder under the sun to develop a thorough program to regulate the intoxicating nature of THC through cannabis. Allowing companies to bring in intoxicating hemp products across state lines, and potentially internationally, flies in the face of everything we have done in Humboldt and throughout California to get this right. The emergency regulations announced today are a good first step towards a more comprehensive solution.”

Michelle Bushnell, Humboldt County Second District Supervisor:

“I appreciate the Governor taking action today to stop the madness. Our cannabis cultivators and everybody involved in the supply chain have to satisfy so many regulations, to protect the public health, environmental impacts, and they do it at incredibly significant costs. Humboldt County has worked very hard for years to make sure THC and cannabis is brought to market in a way that is acceptable to the people of Humboldt and California. We cannot allow hemp to simply skirt the rules for financial gain.”

Sofia Pereira, Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Director:

“Humboldt County Public Health stands with the Governor in protecting youth from intoxicating hemp products.”

Ross Gordon, Humboldt County Growers Alliance Policy Director, Origins Council Policy Chair

“From seed to sale, the lack of parity in regulation between hemp and cannabis has become completely untenable. While only the federal legalization of cannabis can truly solve these problems, we applaud the Governor for taking a meaningful step forward to close intoxicating hemp loopholes and move towards a more rational cannabis policy.”

While the regulations take effect upon approval of the Office of Administrative Law, the state legislature would need to develop law to deal with this issue long-term.

To that end, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 13 issued a letter opposing unless amended a bill that would have created a parity issue for state-licensed cannabis farmers by allowing incorporation of high-THC hemp products and cannabinoids into the licensed supply chain. The letter states “The sales of high-THC hemp products at licensed cannabis dispensaries sourced from anywhere in the U.S. when significant regulatory discrepancies exist between hemp and cannabis cultivation places thousands of small California businesses (cannabis farmers) and particularly those in Humboldt County at a competitive [disadvantage]. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors recognizes the need to address hemp, but this must be accomplished in a manner that respects the regulatory system put in place for cannabis cultivation.”