ATLANTA — Hemp products are growing in popularity across the country, and with that illegal items are showing up in local businesses and can be dangerous for children.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper spoke with Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne to discuss what his focus on the state’s hemp industry.
“We want a thriving hemp industry in our state, but we gotta ensure we’re protecting consumers, protecting children,” Harper said.
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He says there is a high priority on getting a handle on certain hemp products that can make people high, including some being sold as Delta-8 that can include illegal levels of THC.
Harper, a farmer who supports the legal hemp industry, is pushing five hemp-related bills in the Georgia legislature.
An official with the Georgia Department of Agriculture says every one of the products purchased in an undercover operation conducted at Georgia gas stations, smoke shops and other businesses are suspected of being over the legal limit for Delta-9 THC.
They say one of those products had more than 19% THC, which is almost 60 times the legal limit.
“Under the law, hemp is 0.3% THC or less,” Harper explained.
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Earlier this month, Channel 2 Action News reported on a Spalding County mom said her third-grade daughter had to be treated by paramedics after eating some pineapple gummies infused with THC at school. She was diagnosed with an accidental cannabis overdose.
Georgia Poison Center Executive Director Gaylord Lopez told Channel 2′s Michael Doudna that they have received more than 200 poison calls about Delta-8 issues and most of them are about children.
State Senator Randy Robertson says he is backing one of the bills. He says the main objective is to “make sure that the hemp products that are being sold in stores around the state of Georgia are safe and contain exactly what the stores say they contain.”
Senate Bill 437 would allow Harper’s office to seize and destroy products that aren’t compliant with the law.
State Senator Bill Cowsert says the bill is going through some tweaks in committee, but will require lab testing by an approved lab and has labelling requirements.
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