Sunmed | Your CBD Store Responds to Governor Newsom's Industry-Killing Hemp Regulation

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Sep 11, 2024, 16:17 ET

California Consumers at Risk of Losing Safe, Regulated Access to Hemp-Derived CBD Products

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Gavin Newsom has bypassed California legislation to impose harsh "emergency" regulations that could devastate the state's $250 million hemp industry and restrict access to therapeutic CBD products. The regulations ban all hemp-derived products with "any detectable quantity of THC," including trace amounts found in non-intoxicating CBD. They also impose severe serving size limits, capping all CBD products at just five servings—far below the industry standard of 30 days—and rendering 95% of the market's products illegal.

Despite claims that the new regulation aims to protect children, current legislation already includes safeguards to ensure child safety, such as prohibitions on marketing to children and clear warning labels advising that products be kept out of children's reach. However, these protections have been undermined by inadequate enforcement. Instead of addressing this enforcement gap or implementing stricter packaging requirements, such as child-proof packaging, Newsom's proposal imposes blanket bans that fail to resolve the root issue. This approach punishes compliant businesses while allowing unregulated, potentially dangerous products to continue circulating unchecked.

One of the many compliant businesses at risk of closure is Sunmed | Your CBD Store. As a leading provider of non-intoxicating hemp-derived wellness products, Sunmed prioritizes consumer safety with child-proof packaging, 21+ age restrictions, warning labels, and rigorous batch-specific third-party lab test results. Despite these safeguards, Newsom's regulations would deem 95% of Sunmed's inventory illegal—including its clinically proven formulas for better sleep, relief, and weight loss. Consequently, Californian consumers would be deprived of essential wellness products for managing daily pain and maintaining their quality of life.

Since October 2021, Sunmed | Your CBD Store's 18 California locations have generated an estimated $11.5 million in sales and contributed approximately $410,000 in state taxes, creating hundreds of jobs statewide. "Every one of our California stores is expected to close if this overreaching regulation comes into effect. Meanwhile, illegal products sold at gas stations and headshops continue to get into the hands of children without enforced consequences," said Marcus Quinn, CEO of Sunmed | Your CBD Store.

The emergency regulations follow the failed attempt to pass AB 2223, a bill shelved last month by the state legislature. While no official reason for shelving the bill has been released, concerns over the bill's significant fiscal impact are speculated to have played a key role in its failure. The new emergency regulations fail to address these financial concerns, leaving small businesses and consumers vulnerable to the same challenges that AB 2223 posed.

Sunmed | Your CBD Store urges the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) to reconsider this emergency proposal and prioritize the enforcement of existing regulations over blanket bans. Consumers deserve continued access to safe, well-regulated hemp-derived products safeguarded by strict measures, including age restrictions, THC warnings, child-proof packaging, and rigorous testing requirements. California's small businesses and farmers, who comply with these regulations, should not be punished for the state's enforcement failures.

Sunmed | Your CBD Store urges the community to oppose Newsom's industry-killing regulation through social media advocacy and direct engagement. To voice your concerns, use the Contact Form with the topic "Request - General" or call (916) 445-2841.

Contact

Patrick Shatzer
Sunmed | Your CBD Store
[email protected]

About Sunmed^™ | Your CBD Store^®

Sunmed | Your CBD Store, an affiliate of Sunflora, Inc., is the largest hemp retailer in the United States and the exclusive home of award-winning, hemp-derived Sunmed products. With 300+ nationwide locations across 42 states, the brand offers a premium in-store customer experience with access to 150+ nonpharmaceutical wellness formulas, including clinically proven sleep gummies, pain relief topicals, USDA-organic oil tinctures, and CBD for pets. Through in-store education and groundbreaking clinical research, Sunmed strives to empower modern wellness and enhance people's lives with natural science-backed products. Learn more at getsunmed.com

SOURCE Sunmed