Please vote Oppose Unless Amended on Assembly Bill (AB) 2223.

AB 2223 Cannabis: Industrial Hemp (author Assembly Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry) seeks to address important gaps in the earlier legislation and absence of regulatory action that have contributed to the statewide proliferation of dangerous highly intoxicating hemp products in our neighborhoods, schools and communities. The new limit of 1 mg of THC per package is critical to protect kids and we support this or a lower limit of 0.5mg. Nevertheless, the bill still poses areas of concern.

Highly intoxicating industrial hemp products are now being sold across California and are legally available to children and youth at a wide range of businesses including convenience stores, gas stations, smoke shops, and vape shops, all outside of the legal cannabis system. This undermines the regulated cannabis industry while exposing children and consumers to harmful and intoxicating products. Child poisonings with hemp and cannabis products are up over 3,000% nationally. 

Key amendments should still be made to ensure the health and safety of Californians. While we strongly support the provisions of AB 2223 that will strengthen local enforcement authority and preserve local authority from preemption, clearly prohibit synthetically derived cannabinoids, and establish serving sizes for edible hemp products, we also recommend the following:

• Require CDPH to set a limit of detection that does not exceed 1 mg per package.
• Require that products be tested to assure compliance with said limit.
• Amend the considerations on synthetically derived cannabinoids to prohibit them not only in hemp but also in cannabis, so that any hemp CBD used by cannabis manufacturers under this bill cannot be used to synthesize these unsafe compounds and state agencies cannot approve them for human consumption.
• Not allow the entry of untaxed, more weakly regulated hemp products into cannabis stores.
• Permanently prohibit inhaled hemp products

We respectfully urge the legislature to fulfill its responsibility to protect the children and youth of California and amend AB 2223 to end intoxicating hemp. Thank you.