Minnesota health inspections uncover high-dose THC edible sales

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As bills work through the Legislature that would legalize adult-use recreational marijuana, local business leaders are expressing their concerns to lawmakers as the law gets crafted.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Following the legalization of hemp-derived THC edibles under 5 mg per serving, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Office of Medical Cannabis is sending a warning to potential consumers about some products skirting the limits.

The legal limit for hemp-derived cannabinoid products in Minnesota is 50 mg per package, with 5 mg serving sizes of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

According to a press release, throughout the last four months, MDH has implemented a registration campaign to identify establishments who had been previously selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products, and require registration to sell them legally.

The department says it has since found, "illegal, high-dose hemp-derived products that may contain hundreds of milligrams of THC per serving, and with multiple servings in a package" – creating products well above the legal limit.

Recent inspections of retailers selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products found these illegal high-dose products in 39% of establishments, according to the department. When found, inspectors required establishments to destroy them.

Minnesotans are asked not to purchase products that exceed the legal limits for THC, and to report the products to MDH if found for sale.

Retailers found selling non-compliant products that exceed the state legal limit for THC could face fines of up to $10,000 per incident.

State officials say they will continue to, "significantly increase education, inspection and enforcement actions to remove high-risk products from the Minnesota marketplace."