Delta-8 THC has come under scrutiny from state regulators across the United States following the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, which facilitated the growth of these products. Yesterday, Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced the signing of Executive Order 24-10, which bans the sale of food products containing psychoactive cannabis compounds such as Delta-8 in Missouri unless they come from an “approved source.”
Executive Order 24-10 Targets Psychoactive Cannabis Products
Governor Parson’s Executive Order 24-10 restricts the sale of foods containing psychoactive cannabis compounds, such as Delta-8 THC, unless the products originate from an approved source.
According to the Governor’s press release, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will actively enforce this order by embargoing and condemning non-compliant products. The order also prohibits the sale of these products at any retail establishment holding a liquor license.
Governor Parson and Attorney General Bailey cited public health concerns as the primary reason for this executive order. According to recent statistics outlined in the press release, there has been a 600% increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations among children under five due to cannabis poisoning.
“Today, we are announcing new actions to combat the spread of unregulated psychoactive cannabis products that put the health of Missourians at risk,” Governor Parson said. “This Executive Order effectively bans the sale of these potentially harmful products in Missouri until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action. Protecting Missourians, especially the most vulnerable, our children, has been our guiding principle since the very beginning and remains so today.”
Waiting for FDA Framework
The executive order affects various businesses, including gas stations, liquor stores, and smoke shops, which often sell these products. Any establishment caught selling these outlawed products could face disciplinary action from the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.
However, this order does not apply to products regulated by the Division of Cannabis Regulation under the Missouri Constitution. Licensed cannabis dispensaries can still sell their regulated products as long as they comply with existing state laws.
The press release outlines that Executive Order 24-10 remain in effect until such time as the FDA or the Missouri General Assembly establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework to identify and legitimize “approved sources” for psychoactive cannabis products.
Crackdown on Delta-8 THC Across the United States
Missouri’s move is part of a broader trend across the United States, where regulators are increasingly cracking down on Delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids that fall outside the 2018 Farm Bill.
These substances often lack adequate testing or regulation, posing health risks to consumers, regulators argue. Currently, 13 states have outright banned Delta-8 THC sales.
In contrast, Florida has recently taken a different stance. Governor Ron DeSantis has joined forces with the hemp industry after vetoing a bill that would restrict the industry. Gathering millions in campaign funds in an attempt to defeat adult-use cannabis legislation, which aims to be passed in the upcoming election. This seems to pit the hemp and medical marijuana industries in the state against each other.
