As a grandparent and state representative, Mike Burns strongly stands against intoxicating hemp products and has fought to keep them out of South Carolina. For years, these products have flooded the state with no age restrictions, no safety testing, and no accountability.

The Problem

Potent intoxicating substances in the form of gummies, vapes, and drinks containing delta-8 THC, a cannabinoid strain derived from hemp, were openly sold alongside popular snacks and sodas, deliberately packaged to appeal to young people. Nationally, children and teenagers accounted for more than half of all delta-8 THC exposures reported to poison control centers, with children under 12 making up 41% of those cases.

Here in South Carolina, teenagers and children as young as two have been sent to the hospital after unknowingly consuming these products. The products being sold contain synthetic THC that is being imported from countries like China, and independent testing has found that many of these products don’t just contain synthetic ingredients, but include pesticides, mold, and industrial solvents.

The Solution

South Carolina’s own law enforcement leadership has been unequivocal in calling for action. State and federal agents have already raided stores selling illegal THC products across the state. Last November, Congress voted to close the federal loophole, with enforcement set to begin this coming November. Now, the industry is lobbying Congress to undo that progress.

Burns is in favor of many policies that support American farmers and hemp for agricultural purposes, but allowing a dangerous loophole to stay open is not the right approach. States must be able to keep these products out of the hands of children and away from communities. Bad actors must be held accountable when they target children for profit, not encouraged to continue peddling these products to young people.

Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.