Governor Gavin Newsom’s office on Halloween released enforcement figures for California’s actions against illegal cannabis, intoxicating hemp and kratom-derived products, saying such items can be packaged to look harmless. The announcement focused on products that resemble candy, colorful drinks or wellness supplements.
The governor’s office said the state is using coordinated enforcement, stronger consumer protections and legal action to protect children and hold businesses accountable. Newsom said in the release that “a clever label or candy-colored package doesn’t make it legal.”
On hemp, the state’s emergency regulations bar industrial hemp food, beverages and dietary products meant for human consumption from containing detectable THC or other intoxicating cannabinoids per serving. The rules also prohibit sales to people under 21 and limit packages to five servings.
Since enforcement efforts began, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has conducted 24,590 visits over hemp, according to the release. It said the department removed 7,403 products from shelves and reported a 99.36% compliance rate among licensees.
The release also says Newsom signed Assembly Bill 8 in 2025, which it lists under Aguiar-Curry. The law applies to intoxicating hemp the same rules that apply to cannabis and gives state and local enforcers tools to go after unlawful products. The release said these actions followed reports of hemp beverages, gummies and other products appearing in retail settings, sometimes in packaging that could attract young people.
On kratom, the California Department of Public Health has embargoed or destroyed about $10 million worth of kratom and 7-OH products, the release says. The department is targeting products and raw materials at retail locations and manufacturing facilities, pursuing legal action against manufacturers and coordinating with other state enforcement partners.
Since enforcement efforts began, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has made 9,209 visits over kratom products, removed 8,230 products from shelves and reported a 97.97% compliance rate among the locations it visited, according to the release.
Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health and the State Public Health Officer, said kratom-derived substances such as 7-OH and synthetic compounds such as MGM-15 have been associated with addiction, overdose and death. She said consumers “should not assume these products are safe alternatives to opioids or other drugs.” She urged Californians to avoid 7-OH and kratom-related products.
On illegal cannabis, the release credits the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force, which the governor established in 2022 to coordinate state, local and federal agencies. The release says enforcement has resulted in an estimated $1.47 billion-plus in illicit cannabis seized or destroyed, 896,514 pounds seized or destroyed and 1,441,826 plants eradicated.
Newsom also recently signed AB 2249, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. The release says it clarifies and strengthens restrictions on cannabis packaging, labeling, advertising and marketing that may appeal to children, including cartoon imagery and packaging that mimics products primarily marketed to kids.
The release lists several state agencies working with local and federal partners: the Department of Cannabis Control, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Public Health, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
