By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Friday that a statewide investigation found several CBD and vape shops selling products labeled as hemp that were actually illegal marijuana.
“Let’s make it abundantly clear—this is not hemp. This is marijuana,” Marshall said at a Montgomery press conference. “THC levels were exponentially higher than allowed under the 2018 federal farm bill.”
The nearly year-long probe led to search warrants executed this week in Troy, Enterprise, Clanton, Wetumpka, and Montgomery after citizens complained about mislabeled, high-THC products being sold in retail shops.
No arrests have been made, but law enforcement officials said the evidence gathered is significant. Products on display included smokable buds and pre-rolled joints with test results showing THC levels far beyond the 0.3% legal limit for hemp.
“As opposed to going to a local drug dealer, this is going to a storefront,” Marshall said.
ALEA Chief Shawn Loughridge added that the operation is about protecting public safety and holding businesses accountable.
Under federal and Alabama law, cannabis products with more than 0.3% THC are legally defined as marijuana. Despite product labels claiming compliance, testing showed otherwise, raising concerns about deceptive marketing and public health risks, especially for underage users.
Several local community leaders and parents have expressed concern that loosely regulated hemp shops are giving young people easy access to substances that mimic the effects of illegal drugs.
“We are watching, we are testing, and we will hold you accountable,” Marshall warned.