Missouri governor signs restrictions on THC products into law
By Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 Digital Content Editor
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JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (KOMU) — Intoxicating hemp products must be pulled from convenience store shelves, bars and restaurants across Missouri by Nov. 12, a bill signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Thursday establishes.
The Missouri governor signed the bill, House Bill 2641, along with three other bills in a ceremony on Thursday.
The bill establishes the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act, which Kehoe said aligns the state with a federal ban that Congress approved last year. The bill brings the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products under existing regulations of marijuana.
It prohibits non-licensed entities, like convenience stores, from selling intoxicating hemp products. It would also restrict the sale of the products to licensed marijuana dispensaries if Congress reverses the federal ban, as well as require non-licensed entities to discontinue the manufacturing or sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
Moreover, the bill prohibits marijuana dispensaries from keeping records or disseminating identifying information of regulated marijuana products consumers buy unless the consumer agrees to the creation or retention in writing.
“For too long, bad actors have exploited loopholes to market intoxicating products—including candy-like gummies or look-alike products — without meaningful oversight or accountability,” Kehoe said in a news release from his office. “This legislation ensures that Missourians know the products sold in their communities are safe, regulated, and kept out of the hands of children.”
The bill passed both the Missouri House and Senate with wide margins, but similar bills have failed in previous years.
The Missouri Hemp Trade Association delivered more than 10,000 handwritten letters last week to the governor’s office, along with an additional 2,000 petition signatures, urging Kehoe to veto the bill.
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