Summary
May 9, 2025
The Honorable Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
1021 O Street, Suite 8220
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Support for Assembly Bill 8 – Strengthening Protections Against Intoxicating Hemp Products
Dear Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry,
On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I write in strong support of AB 8, which will provide California with a permanent, enforceable framework to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products. This legislation builds on the success of the Governor’s 2024 Emergency Regulations by codifying key protections into law, closing loopholes, and aligning intoxicating hemp products with California’s regulated cannabis system.
Marin has seen alarming trends in youth THC use. Marin County 11th graders now rank 4th statewide for the highest reported THC use. Among youth enrolled in County addiction treatment programs, THC dependence is the most common diagnosis—accounting for 76% of those under age 18.
The risks of regular THC intoxication among adolescents are serious and well-documented. Because the human brain continues developing until age 25, heavy THC use during adolescence can impair learning, memory, and impulse control. It is also associated with increased risk of developing psychosis, including schizophrenia.
From a public health standpoint, delaying permanent regulation will only increase the number of young Californians experiencing preventable mental health harms. Frequent THC use also correlates with a higher likelihood of impaired driving, and products with higher potency are linked to greater health and behavioral risks.
Despite these dangers, many youth perceive THC use as low-risk. One in four Marin County 11th graders believe daily marijuana use has little or no harmful effect. This disconnect is particularly alarming given the 93% increase in THC-related 911 calls among residents under 18 between 2021 and 2022. Local medics have directly attributed several of these calls to intoxicating hemp products, which – prior to the 2024 Emergency Regulations – were widely available online without age verification and often packaged to appeal to youth.
A new white paper published in February 2025, The Great Hemp Hoax, further underscores the urgency of passing AB 8. Lab testing of 104 hemp products from 68 brands found that:
- 95% contained synthetic cannabinoids, despite their prohibition under state law;
- 88% exceeded California’s legal THC threshold for hemp;
- Some edibles contained up to 325 mg of THC per serving—over 30 times the legal cap for cannabis edibles;
- Many vape products had THC-equivalent potencies more than 2,600 mg per cartridge, vastly exceeding allowable cannabis limits;
- Nearly half contained THCP, a compound estimated to be 30 times more potent than delta-9 THC, with serious health risks including seizures, psychosis, and stroke.
The study also revealed widespread tax evasion, with 91% of products sold without charging required sales taxes and none complying with cannabis excise tax laws.
AB 8 takes necessary, targeted steps to bring order to this market. Specifically, it:
- Brings intoxicating hemp products under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA);
- Prohibits synthetic cannabinoids and inhalable hemp-derived products from being sold outside the regulated cannabis system;
- Requires testing, labeling, tracking, and age verification consistent with cannabis rules;
- Enables state and local agencies to inspect, embargo, and destroy illegal products;
- Closes enforcement loopholes and ensures tax compliance.
California voters established a regulated cannabis system to promote safety, accountability, and public trust. Allowing intoxicating hemp products to evade this system undermines those goals and puts our youth at risk. AB 8 restores integrity to the state’s cannabinoid market and ensures that all THC products—regardless of origin—are held to the same high standards.
For these reasons, the Marin County Board of Supervisors strongly supports AB 8 and urges its swift passage. Thank you for your continued leadership in advancing responsible, evidence-based public health policy.
Sincerely,
Mary Sackett, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors
CC: Marin County Board of Supervisors
Senator Mike McGuire
Assemblymember Damon Connolly
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