Attorney General Hanaway launches probe into sellers of unregulated hemp products

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Monday that her office has opened a statewide investigation into retailers accused of selling unregulated and intoxicating hemp-derived products.

The move follows reports that consumers may be exposed to chemically altered THC-like substances marketed as hemp, despite containing psychoactive or synthetic compounds.

“Missourians deserve honesty and transparency, especially when it comes to products that can alter someone’s mind or put their health at risk,” Hanaway said in a statement. “If a business chooses to profit by selling powerful intoxicants while hiding what’s actually in them, my office will step in.”

The Attorney General’s Office issued five Civil Investigative Demands to retail smoke shops believed to be manufacturing, distributing, or selling intoxicating cannabinoid products that may violate Missouri’s consumer protection laws.

Those businesses include Moonlight Smoke Shop in St. Louis; Puffer’s Choice in Clever; Sacred Leaf locations in Independence and Kansas City; Swin Dispensaries in western Missouri; and Vaporized stores in and around St. Louis.

According to the announcement, the targeted shops collectively represent major points of sale in Missouri’s market for intoxicating cannabinoids and are suspected of selling products containing Delta-8, Delta-10, THC-P, HHC, THC-O, and other chemically modified compounds. These products can produce effects “far stronger or less predictable than naturally occurring Delta-9 THC,” the office said.

The civil demands require each company to provide detailed information about their product ingredients, manufacturing and processing methods, labeling practices, and any testing conducted for contaminants or THC concentration. The shops must also turn over communications regarding adverse consumer reactions and any materials that could indicate mislabeling or deceptive marketing practices.

“Ensuring that Missouri law is followed and that consumers are protected is one of this office’s most fundamental obligations,” Hanaway said. “No company gets a free pass to cut corners, skirt the law, or gamble with someone else’s safety.”

   

Under federal law, hemp is defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. Products derived from hemp that exceed that limit or include chemically converted cannabinoids may fall outside federal protections.

Earlier this month, amendments to the 2018 Farm Bill were signed into law as part of a the federal spending package signed by President Trump, redefining hemp and tightening national standards for hemp-derived cannabinoid products. The changes close what many have called the “hemp loophole” by capping total THC content, including THCA, at 0.3% on a dry weight basis and limiting finished products to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container.

The legislation also explicitly excludes synthetic or chemically altered cannabinoids such as Delta-8 and THCA from the federal definition of hemp, signaling the end of legal ambiguity that allowed intoxicating hemp-derived products to proliferate nationwide. However, these provisions don’t take effect until November 2026.

In Missouri, the Division of Cannabis Regulation oversees licensed marijuana operations, while hemp-derived products remain under a looser framework largely governed by consumer protection laws.

Hanaway’s office asks Missourians who believe they were misled or harmed by intoxicating cannabinoid products are encouraged to file a complaint through the Attorney General’s website at ago.mo.gov.

Copies of the civil investigative demands were made public for each of the named businesses, including Moonlight Smoke Shop, Puffer’s Choice, Sacred Leaf, Swin Dispensaries, and Vaporized.