MA issues cease-and-desist to hemp manufacturer using THCV
Massachusetts regulators have issued a cease-and-desist order to a licensed hemp manufacturer in the state to halt the production and transfer of any products containing THCV.
John Nathan, CEO of East Wareham-based Bay State Extracts, wrote on LinkedIn that the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources (MDAR) also ordered the destruction of products with the minor cannabinoid.
“Cease and desist the manufacture and sale of hemp products containing (THCV) or any synthetic isomers of THC that are not otherwise authorized by state or federal law,” the MDAR ordered in its letter.
An MDAR spokesperson told Talking Joints Memo that the licensed hemp producer was noncompliant because it was “selling products containing the semi-synthetic cannabinoid.”
The issue is under appeal, the spokesperson told the cannabis media outlet.
Nathan did not immediately respond to an MJBizDaily request for comment.
In Massachusetts, marijuana is regulated by the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) and hemp by the MDAR.
But both agencies have largely avoided regulating hemp-derived cannabinoids, according to local media reports and legal blogs.
The issue is gaining prevalence in Massachusetts amid a recent boom in the availability of intoxicating hemp-derived products in restaurants, liquor stores and convenience shops.
The CCC has overhauled several cannabis regulations since December, including easing delivery requirements and updating guidance on host community agreements and licensure.
