“These are new regulations so it is important for ABC agents to visit ABC-licensed establishments in order to educated and to remove the illegal hemp products.  These sweeps are designed to keep consumers safe and increase public safety.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

SACRAMENTO – On October 23, 2024, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced that ABC agents across the state more than doubled their efforts in the past week to ensure ABC-licensed locations comply with recent California Department of Public Health emergency regulations aimed at protecting Californians from potentially dangerous hemp products.

In ABC’s biggest sweep yet, agents visited 882 locations throughout California. Forty-two locations (fewer than five percent of those visited) were out of compliance. ABC agents seized 1,716 individual illegal products at those locations.

Since operations began:

• ABC agents have visited 1,555 licensed locations,
• 60 locations were out of compliance,
• 3,338 illegal products were seized.

“Our ABC agents have done an outstanding job of removing these dangerous products from store shelves,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “Removing these illegal products, which are often marketed to underage customers, is a top priority for ABC and our partners across state government. We appreciate the majority of our licensees who are abiding by the new regulation and removing these products themselves.”

The regulations, which were adopted by the California Department of Public Health and published by the Department on September 24, prohibit the marketing, offering for sale, or sale of industrial hemp products intended for human use (including food, beverages, and dietary supplements) that contain a detectable level of total THC or other intoxicating cannabinoids.

ABC informed licensees that they may not carry, market, or sell products that do not comply with the regulations. Businesses that fail to follow the law could face legal or administrative discipline, including loss of license.

This week’s violations were found in Anaheim, Chico, Cotati, Goleta, Lomita, Long Beach, Loomis, Modesto, Palm Desert, Perris, Pleasant Hill, Sacramento, South San Gabriel, Venice, Walnut Creek, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Manteca, Mission Viejo, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sherman Oaks, Windsor, Fairfield, Orange, and Vacaville.