NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Since taking over regulation and enforcement in January, the Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission(TABC) law enforcement agents have uncovered more than 650 illegal hemp-derived cannabinoid product retailers selling without a license.
The action encourages retailers to go through the licensing process, pay appropriate taxes and to ensure products on their shelves have been tested for safety.
TABC Executive Director Russell Thomas says, "We want the Tennessee consumer that wants to buy one of these products to be able to walk into a store and know that what they are buying is coming from responsible businesses and that it's been tested. They want to know that it is legal, and that it is safe. That starts with businesses that make, distribute and sell these products to have a license, and have regulatory oversight, and that these products are tested."
Although marijuana and hemp are both from the cannabis plant, hemp has significantly lower level of the chemical compound Delta 9-THC than marijuana. Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Products (HDCPs) are legal in the state of Tennessee. Per state law, HDCPs may not contain concentrations of total THC exceeding 0.3% on a dry weight basis.
