A new report from the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association says many retailers that advertise legal hemp products are instead selling cannabis products with high THC levels. The group’s findings come from laboratory tests on 55 products purchased at gas stations, smoke shops, and stores that market themselves as hemp or CBD sellers.
According to the report, 96% of the samples turned out to be synthetic THC or cannabis. The association’s 16-page document outlines what it describes as a statewide problem involving hundreds of unregulated shops offering potent THC products while presenting them as legal hemp. It includes test results, a map of retailers the group reviewed, and a list of outlets it says are selling THC outside Missouri’s licensed system.
Executive director Andrew Mullins said the findings point to a public safety issue that has been building for years. Mullins noted the absence of mandatory testing or child-resistant packaging leaves minors especially vulnerable.
In nearly every tested item, THC levels surpassed the federal hemp limit of 0.3%. The results ranged from 11 milligrams of THC per package to 5,000 milligrams. One vape bought in Independence tested at 89.3% THC, a concentration far above what hemp laws allow. Nearly 30% of the samples had contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, or lingering solvents.
Mullins said the association first raised concerns in 2021 when hemp-derived THC products began appearing routinely in convenience stores. He said the products were packaged like regulated marijuana but sold in places that faced no state controls. According to Mullins, state health officials said the issue fell to local law enforcement, some of whom believed the products were legal after recreational marijuana passed.
The group has backed several measures in recent years to limit or oversee hemp-derived THC, though none have advanced. Mullins said some businesses resist changes because the current system benefits them. He pointed to a Warrenton case involving a shop owner accused of selling a THC vape cartridge to a 14-year-old and cited a sharp rise (400%) in poison control calls involving unregulated products.
Mullins said some shops advertise THC levels online while labeling packages as hemp in stores, and others use the word “dispensary” despite having no license to sell cannabis.
Not everyone agrees with the trade group’s conclusions. Columbia attorney Dan Viets said the report overlooks important sections of state and federal law. He argues that products made from hemp remain legal even if the final item exceeds the 0.3% threshold, since the definition of hemp is based on the plant’s THC level at harvest.
Viets noted that the hemp sector has long urged state lawmakers to create rules for labeling, testing, and age limits. He argued that the licensed cannabis industry wants hemp-derived THC banned because it does not want competition. He added that restricting these products could force many retailers to close.
Licensed marijuana companies like Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF) operating in other regulated marijuana markets in the country will be hoping that states clarify regulations on hemp THC so that it is explicitly clear how those products should be sold in case they are permissible.
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