The city of San Diego is directing retailers selling synthetic hemp-derived products to dispose of such items within the month or face possible enforcement actions, it was announced Friday.
Following a law enforcement investigation into alleged illegal dispensaries operating near schools and homes that led to multiple arrests, the city sent letters this month to local retailers suspected of selling cannabis unlawfully or selling synthetic cannabis products. Prohibited synthetic products include those claiming to be "Delta-8 THC," "Delta-10 THC" or "other similar synthetically derived `hemp-based' products, as well as those hemp products which may be inhaled," according to the city.
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"Per national poison control centers, numerous cases of these products leading to hospitalizations and deaths have been reported," the city said in a press release.
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The San Diego Police Department and other law enforcement agencies seized hundreds of pounds of illegal hemp after serving search warrants in San Diego, Chula Vista and Spring Valley.
The letter dated Dec. 1 directs retailers to dispose of those products or surrender them to SDPD by the end of the month.
"The unlawful distribution of these products is something the city takes very seriously," said Lara Gates, deputy director of the city's Development Services Department's Cannabis Business Division, which oversees permitting compliance. "They represent a danger not just to businesses but to the health and well-being of our communities. Our goal is to ensure both customers and dispensaries are safe and in compliance with all necessary regulations, and to protect against those who'd operate outside of them."
The full letter is available here.
Retailers were advised to contact the city's Cannabis Business Division at DSDCannabis@sandiego.gov for any questions or concerns.
