JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Starting Sunday, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will move to embargo and condemn food containing unregulated and intoxicating hemp products.
The health department announced its crackdown despite Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft鈥檚 recent rejection of emergency rules by the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco prohibiting the sale of embargoed items at liquor stores.
鈥淭he rejection of the emergency rule filing has no impact on the September 1 effective date for DHSS,鈥 said a Thursday news release from the DHSS.
The move follows Gov. Mike Parson鈥檚 Aug. 1 executive order cracking down on unregulated psychoactive cannabis products.
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His office said the action was in response to rising availability of the products and emerging health concerns, especially with regard to youth.
National poison control centers have said roughly 2 in 5 exposures to Delta 8 THC products are occurring in children, according to state health officials.
鈥淣umerous Missourians have been adversely affected by consuming foods laced with these products,鈥 said Paula Nickelson, DHSS director. 鈥淒isturbingly, children in Missouri and across the nation have been hospitalized after ingesting these substances, and this is unacceptable.鈥
The action has no effect on products sold in state-licensed dispensaries, which the DHSS strictly regulates and limits.
In a memo to businesses, the health department said the state will begin to inspect businesses after Sept. 1 and that the department will 鈥減rioritize actions based off complaints鈥 received through .
The state said that if officials find unregulated products, they would document the findings and request the retailer voluntarily dispose of the items.
If they don鈥檛, the memo said the state will embargo the products and they will be 鈥渉eld on the premises until a court order for destruction is obtained.鈥
The DHSS said business owners can ask questions about a product by calling 866-219-0165 or emailing Cannabisinfo@health.mo.gov. The health department also has posted answers to .