State agencies seize illegal hemp products

An enforcement team from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office and staff from the Department of Natural Resources Division of Agriculture entered three Anchorage-area businesses and seized hemp-derived products being illegally offered to the public.

A total of 2,729 illegal products were seized. Over 90% of the intoxicating hemp products seized do not qualify for DNR registration or could not be sold by a licensed marijuana retailer as they originated outside of Alaska’s legal market and do not meet Alaska’s criteria for legal sale.

“It is paramount to protect the safety of Alaskans through the removal of unregulated products, and further, to support the legal cannabis industry, which is a growing sector of the economy in state” said Anna Latham, deputy commissioner at the department.

The authority to seize products is granted through the state Industrial Hemp Program statutes and regulations. The program is intended to increase the knowledge of how industrial hemp production, cultivation, and marketing can increase agricultural production in Alaska and contribute to the state’s economy. Examples of industrial hemp products include paper, ropes, linens, textiles for clothes, and CBD oil or lotion.

“Today’s public health and safety action removed imported illegal hemp products from store shelves in Alaska and is a reminder to all retailers in the state that hemp products may not contain THC or non-naturally occurring cannabinoids,” said John Boyle, state Commissioner of Natural Resoures.

“The Division of Agriculture issued updated regulations for the Industrial Hemp Program in late 2023 to eliminate a gray area in state law and protect Alaskans from consuming unregistered intoxicating products,” Boyle said.

Alaskans can visit the Industrial Hemp Program web site to find a list of legally endorsed products and registered retailers and manufacturers. The department encourages consumers and business owners to become informed about the safety and legal status of hemp-derived products being offered to Alaskans in stores and online, the commissioner said.