Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson had a terse message on Monday for those fighting his efforts to prevent hemp sellers from targeting children:
Bring it on.
Simpson was reacting to a lawsuit challenging a new state law that sets the age requirement for the purchase of hemp products intended for human consumption at 21 — which mirrors previous law regarding inhaled products.
Just Brands LLC, which sells hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products that include gummies, tinctures, cartridges, oils, and creams via mail order from its website, sued the state, claiming the law violates interstate commerce provisions of the U.S. Constitution.
Read: Over 1,700 Illegal Hemp, THC-O, Mushroom Products From Florida Business
The law also defined hemp extract as “food” and mandates that it must be handled as other food products are for processing and packaging. The law also cracks down on packaging, declaring that such products must not be made “attractive to children” by appearing as candy.
In a press release issued Monday, Simpson noted, “One of my top responsibilities is ensuring the safety of our food and protecting Florida’s consumers. Prior to the changes made to Florida law last year, hemp extract products were out of control and sold without restrictions, including to children and with marketing and packaging specifically targeting them.”
“As a direct result of Florida’s negligent oversight of this industry,” he continued, “children across our state were ingesting high-potency hemp extract products, which can have (a) real and serious medical consequence.”
Last year, he added, nearly 1,000 children were exposed to high-potency THC products across Florida that resulted in calls to Poison Information Centers. “We worked with the Legislature to create much-needed, common-sense, and industry-supported guardrails around these products,” he concluded.
Simpson’s comment on Monday followed a report by his office last week about sales of hemp-related products.
Read: Florida Department Of Agriculture Sweep Nabs Hemp Products Aimed At Children
State consumer-product regulators snagged 8,700 hemp extract packages that were attractive and/or marketed to children at a company called Top Private Label Co. in Daytona Beach.
State inspectors conducted a sweep in July and August for hemp extract products that were considered as lures to kids.
Regulators inspected more than 700 businesses in all 67 Florida counties and found more than 83,000 packages of hemp-extract products, including euphoric, high-potency THC products, targeting children, Simpson’s office said in a press release.
Since July 1, the department has uncovered more than 107,400 packages of hemp extract products targeting children.
“I am deeply committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Florida’s children and consumers — especially from products like these that can pose serious risks when ingested by children,” Simpson said in a statement last Thursday. “With local, state, and federal partners, we’re taking bold steps to enforce these critical changes to Florida law and to keep harmful products out of the hands of our young ones.”
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