Industry-Killing California Bill Outlaws Non-Intoxicating Hemp Products, Costing $250 Million in State Sales Tax Revenue and Up to 41,000 Jobs
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In a devastating setback for California’s wellness industry, Assembly Bill 2223 outlaws consumer retail access to non-intoxicating, low-THC hemp products. Rather than eliminating THC products entirely, the proposed legislation shifts exclusive retail control to marijuana dispensaries, effectively monopolizing the California hemp industry and stripping consumer health options.
If passed unamended, AB 2223 threatens to shutter hundreds of California hemp retailers, jeopardizing approximately $250 million in sales tax revenues and 41,210 jobs, according to the 2023 National Cannabinoid Report by Whitney Economics, the most comprehensive analysis based on state-level data.
Despite its intentions, AB 2223 adds little to protecting the welfare of California residents. Existing laws and regulations, when adequately funded and enforced, are already sufficient to protect consumers. Current regulations, particularly those aimed at safeguarding children, have proven effective in recent law enforcement actions. "We want to support good actors by going after these bad actors," CDTFA spokeswoman Yating Campbell said in a recent statement. Instead of allocating more resources to close enforcement gaps, AB 2223 threatens to destabilize a crucial industry that plays a significant role in consumer health.
"We are not a head shop selling dangerous, highly intoxicating products…all of our formulas comply with strict regulatory guidelines, the highest safety standards with stringent quality control, full-panel third-party testing, child-proof packaging, and strict age requirements," said Chad Paydo, owner of Petaluma, Lafayette, and Concord Sunmed | Your CBD Store locations. "The real issue is not the regulation itself but the historically insufficient enforcement."
Paul Prehn, an 87-year-old veteran, has been purchasing four full spectrum and broad spectrum tinctures every two weeks from Paydo’s Lafayette storefront to manage peripheral neuropathy. "My friend who’s a physician suggested it," Prehn stated.
Prehn emphasized the life-changing benefits of a hemp supplement, saying, "[Broad and full spectrum CBD] reduces the pain. Without it, I would have a difficult time even walking to the bathroom…I would be pretty much totally house-confined. You can’t imagine how intense the pain is unless you’ve had it." He added, "This [CBD] has been absolutely wonderful because it takes the edge off pretty much 24/7…it buys me 5 to 8 hours a day where I have a pretty normal life."
Given that the city of Lafayette bans dispensaries, AB 2223 would effectively eliminate access to full and broad spectrum hemp products in Prehn’s area. "Without [CBD], I wouldn’t hardly leave my room. It’s a big difference," he said. "There’s absolutely no question…it’s a 100% change in my life."
To ensure the availability of safe, compliant hemp products in California and counteract monopolistic incentives in the state, Sunmed | Your CBD Store urges the community to oppose AB 2223 through social media and direct engagement with local politicians.
Contact
Patrick Shatzer
Sunmed | Your CBD Store
[email protected]
About Sunmed™ | Your CBD StoreⓇ
Sunmed | Your CBD Store 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, community involvement, 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
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