Montana to crack down on synthetic marijuana products

July 12, 2023
AggregatedNews
Montana
1 Comment

Montana will soon crack down on synthetic marijuana and intoxicating hemp products that have proliferated through regulatory loopholes despite concerns they pose a health risk to children.

The Cannabis Control Division, the marijuana regulatory arm of the Montana Department of Revenue, said Tuesday eradicating synthetic products will be the “biggest lift” for the agency between now and the 2025 Legislature.

“Most of these businesses that we will be inspecting will be glass shops, gas stations, vape shops,” division administrator Kristan Barbour told the committee. “We’re just going in and making sure they know that any synthetic cannabinoid or hemp intoxicating product is no longer carried.”

The substances were identified by the agency in January as the likely culprit in a rash of youth hospitalizations raised by local health officials after the first year of marijuana legalization in Montana.

House Bill 948, carried by Republican Rep. Steve Galloway of Great Falls, established a statewide prohibition on the manufacturing and sale of synthetic marijuana and intoxicating hemp products. Such substances previously fell outside of purview of the Cannabis Control Division, or state and federal agriculture departments that regulate hemp. The result was anyone could sell the products, and anyone of any age could purchase them.

This Post Has One Comment

Will Statham says:

July 13, 2023 at 7:47 am

I’m glad to see Montana taking a strong stance against synthetic marijuana products. These substances can be incredibly dangerous and pose serious health risks to consumers. It’s important for authorities to crack down on the production and distribution of these harmful substances to protect public health and safety.

Reply

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