Montco Grand Jury Unveils 'Public Health Crisis' At PA Smoke Shops
A 10-month grand jury probe found nearly 94% of tested THC products were illegal with high potency, prompting calls for age limits, licensing, and labeling reforms.
- On Thursday, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele released a 107-page grand jury report after a 10-month joint probe by Montgomery, Bucks and Chester county DAs.
- Officials say the 2018 Farm Bill's loophole allowed delta-8 and delta-10 cannabinoids to be sold unregulated in Pennsylvania as loose flower and vapes, fueling a gray market.
- Undercover tests bought 144 products and found 93.75% contained marijuana with THC levels of 5.0%, exceeding the 0.3% legal limit, officials said.
- The grand jury recommends a 21 minimum purchase age, electronic ID scanning, statewide licensing, mandatory testing by accredited labs, and liability rules, citing recent search warrants and arrests last month.
- Children have been hospitalized after ingesting these products, including an 18-month-old and a one-year-old, prompting district attorneys to warn this is a public-health emergency as smoke shops now outnumber schools in parts of Pennsylvania.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Smoke shops in Philly suburbs mislead consumers by selling 'straight-up marijuana,' district attorney says
The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office released a grand jury report Thursday detailing the dangers of unregulated hemp and THC products sold at hundreds of smoke shops across the region.
Montgomery County grand jury issues report on danger of unregulated smoke shops
NORRISTOWN — After a 10-month investigation, a Montgomery County grand jury issued a report that highlights the danger of unregulated so-called “smoke shops” that sell THC products, such as gummies, vapes, edibles and oils, and makes recommendations regarding reforms to make communities safer. “It’s a call to action, a buyer-beware warning,” District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said on Thursday during a news conference at which he released the 100-…
Smoke shops outnumber schools: Grand jury probe blasts unregulated hemp market across suburbs
A grand jury probe involving Montgomery, Bucks and Chester counties found smoke shops use “misleading packaging and fraudulent lab reports” to openly sell banned substances – sometimes to children.
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