Do you know what’s in your cannabis?
When you buy from licensed dispensaries, you know your cannabis products are regulated, taxed and tested safe for consumption. Buying from anywhere else? You just never know.
Know the Difference
Understand the benefits of choosing regulated, tested and safe cannabis products from licensed dispensaries.
The Good
Buying/consuming cannabis products from licensed, regulated dispensaries
- Safe, been tested safe for human consumption
- Know its packaged and labeled to not be attractive to children
- Know exactly how potent it is
- Know exactly what the product contains
- Know how and where it was made and who made it
- Know it was produced by a licensed Missouri producer, in Missouri
- Know MO Division of Cannabis Regulation are overseeing all steps in process
- Know it’s taxed and regulated — with tax revenues going to MO veterans, public defenders and local communities
- Know it’s sold in 21+ retail dispensaries only, not accessible by youth/children
The Bad
Buying/consuming cannabis products from gas stations, C-stores, head shops, CBD Stores, vape shops or online retailers
- Potentially unsafe, untested and don’t know what’s in it
- No packaging or labeling regulations – deceives/entices underage consumers without proper warnings
- Don’t know how potent it is
- Don’t know if it contains claimed product
- Don’t know how or where it was made or who made it
- Likely not grown or manufactured in Missouri and not paying cannabis taxes to fund veterans and local communities
- Don’t know if it was tested. May contain harmful chemicals, contaminants, mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides or poisonous ingredients
- Untaxed, unregulated
- No age restrictions
PARENTAL WARNING!
The Dangers of Hemp-derived THC Products
There are many cannabis products being sold at unregulated retailers that work to mimic candy products, intentionally deceiving and enticing children to purchase.
To the unknowing eye, these products look exactly like their candy counterpart, except they contain large amounts of potentially dangerous, intoxicating, untested hemp-derived THC (200mg-1000mg). If you found any of these candy lookalike products in your child’s room, could you tell it was an intoxicating and possibly dangerous product?
Customers can trust licensed dispensaries because of their wide-selection of lab-tested, properly packaged and labeled, safe for consumption cannabis. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen the unregulated market grow with the recent explosion of dangerous, chemically converted hemp-derived THC intoxicants like Delta 8 and Delta 10. These dangerous products are available at unregulated retail stores across the state, including gas stations, c-stores, head shops, vape shops — even online and even to children.
These hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids are not safe, not tested, not regulated and consumers have no idea what harmful contaminants may be in these products. Read an advisory from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services here.
Read the FDA’s recent consumer update regarding the dangers and health risks of Delta 8 THC and other intoxicating hemp derived cannabinoids here.
Safety First!
Before you consume, you should always know what’s in your cannabis!
Download our informational one pager on Cannabis regulations and safety
- Environmental contaminants
- Fentanyl
- Banned pesticides
- Harmful chemicals
- Poisonous ingredients
- Residual Solvents
- Heavy Metals
- Dangerous mycotoxins
- Unexpected contents or dosing
Unregulated THC Retailers
Gas Stations
Head Shops
C-Stores
Vape Shops
Liquor Stores
CBD Shops
Trusted Dispensaries
With gas stations and head shops masquerading as dispensaries, cannabis consumers need reassurance that the product they’re buying is high-quality, lab-tested, properly dosed, clearly labeled— and, most importantly — safe. This is only available in licensed dispensaries, which are devoted to the health, education and safety of Missouri customers, while benefiting veterans and local economies.
Your local, licensed dispensary knows what’s in their cannabis products. Do you know what’s in yours?
Did You Know?
With unregulated psychoactive cannabis products, there are no safety studies for human consumption and health effects are largely unknown, especially for children.
– Source: Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Edible cannabis exposures went up nearly 400% from January 2020 – April 2024 with increased exposures beginning with the establishment of the US Domestic Hemp Production Program in October 2019.
– Source: National Poison Data System
In Missouri, there has been a 600% increase in the number of children 5 and under experiencing cannabis poisoning that resulted in emergency room visits or hospitalizations since 2018.
– Source: Missouri Poison Center
Approximately 2 in 5 exposures of Delta 8, an unregulated intoxicating hemp product, are occurring in children.
– Source: National Poison Centers
– Source: Food & Drug Administration
Take a closer look at cannabis safety & education
Leading health, science and cannabis industry experts provide up to date information on cannabis use, safety and regulations for consumers of cannabis. Explore a comprehensive selection of important and eye-opening whitepapers highlighting the importance of cannabis regulations and safety, all focused on the health of Missouri residents, cannabis patients and consumers.
Physician's Perspective: How Harmful are Unregulated Cannabis Products?
Opening Pandora's Box: The Dangers of Hemp-Derived Cannabis
The many dangers of an unregulated, intoxicating cannabinoid market
Why Rigorous Testing of Cannabis Products is Always a Necessity
Top 10 reasons you should ONLY purchase cannabis products from licensed dispensaries
100% grown and manufactured safely in MO
Lab tested, labeled and safe for consumption
Free from harmful chemicals, contaminants and heavy metals
Sold in childproof packaging and unavailable to those under 21
Offered in a variety of innovative yet safe form factors
Supports better health care for Missouri veterans
Supporting 20,000 good-paying MO cannabis jobs
Cannabis and local taxes support community food bank/nonprofit/sports team/etc.
Providing Missourians a second chance by funding marijuana expungements
Generating millions of dollars for local communities in every region of Missouri
“Much worse is the fact that these intoxicating products are completely unregulated and produced by overseas companies that intentionally market them to kids. It becomes a serious public health and safety crisis when kids are buying intoxicating products because they look like candy.”
— Chief Paul Williams, Springfield Police Department
– U.S. Food and Drug Administration
“Law enforcement has a tough enough job protecting the public’s health and safety without having Missouri kids getting high on products that are untested, unsafe, unregulated, but legal,” LT.
— Colonel Jason Law, St. Louis County Police Department
“We have seen the negative impacts of unregulated psychoactive cannabis products firsthand, numerous Missourians have been adversely affected by consuming foods laced with these products. Disturbingly, children in Missouri and across the nation have been hospitalized after ingesting these substances, and this is unacceptable.”
— Paula F. Nickelson, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director
– U.S. Food and Drug Administration
“As a former state trooper, I worked far too many fatality crashes that resulted from the misuse of regulated intoxicating products. Unregulated psychoactive cannabis products are untested and sold without any restrictions whatsoever. Law enforcement is encountering this new and often dangerous products and its consequences. Governor Parson’s Executive Order provides a means to control these products and that is exactly what we will be doing.”
— Sandy Karsten, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director
– FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D.
“The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control has jurisdiction over about 17,000 locations with liquor licenses across the state, and our team stands ready to enforce regulations to protect against these unregulated psychoactive cannabis products in these locations. We have a long history of regulating intoxicating products, including related to ingredients, origin, labeling and age restrictions, and will bring this experience to this critical issue.”
— Mike Leara, Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control State Supervisor
– U.S. Food and Drug Administration
“Without question, our office and hundreds of thousands of parents and grandparents across the state view the matter of protecting Missouri children as an emergency in need of immediate action,”
— Missouri Governor Mike Parson
– U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Interested in helping to spread the word about the Know Your Cannabis campaign?
More Information
Have questions? We’re here to help!
What are unregulated psychoactive cannabis products?
Unregulated psychoactive cannabis products are products that contain chemical substances that cause or have the potential to cause psychoactive effect, including those that are created by a chemical reaction that changes the molecular structure of naturally occurring chemical substances or cannabinoids from the Cannabis sativa L. plant.
Generally, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBDa, CBGa, CBDV, CBDVa, CBGV, CBGVa, CBNa, CBC, CBCa, and similar substances do not have psychoactive effects. Generally, Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC, Delta-11 THC, HHC, THCa, THCO, THCV, THCP, THCB, THCH, THCJD, THCX, HHCP, and similar substances do have psychoactive effects.
Any cannabinoid product marketed as having mind- or mood-altering effects (changes to perception, thoughts, emotions, behavior, or awareness) may contain psychoactive cannabinoids, even if the packaging does not disclose this fact.
Why are unregulated psychoactive cannabis products a health concern?
Numerous Missourians have been negatively impacted, including children that have been hospitalized, through the consumption of foods or other products that include unregulated psychoactive cannabinoids. America’s Poison Control Center has documented that 41% of the non-regulated intoxicating cannabinoids – Delta 8 exposures are occurring in children 12 and younger. Unregulated psychoactive cannabinoids are associated with several significant health risks including risks of poisoning (especially for children), unexpected intoxication, exposure to chemical contaminants, and more.
- There are no safety studies for human consumption and health effects are largely unknown, especially for children.
- Many products include combinations of non-regulated psychoactive cannabinoids, with unknown interactions.
- There are no regulated potency limits or testing, and large doses are often contained in a single package.
- There are no regulations imposing age restrictions.
- Many products are mislabeled, with unknown or undisclosed psychoactive potency.
- Some products packaging intentionally mimics commercial food products that appeal to children and has a lack of childproofing.
- There are no testing requirements for contaminants such as heavy metals or solvents and other byproducts from processing.
DHSS issued a Health Alert on the risks associated with consumption of hemp-derived psychoactive cannabinoids located here.
The Missouri Poison Center has posted an article indicating a rise in Delta 8 poisoning in children located here.
The FDA has posted regarding the serious health risks associated with Delta 8 on its website here.
The CDC has posted a Health Advisory on the increase in availability of Delta 8 and potential for adverse events located here.
How can I know if I am purchasing legal cannabis products?
Regulated cannabis products can be purchased from facilities licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services pursuant to Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution. Such facilities can be easily identified by a state-issued certificate posted directly inside the facility and also by the experience of entering a facility, which will include a security checkpoint where individuals are required to show a photo ID to prove they are a licensed patient or an adult over the age of 21. A map of all licensed dispensary facilities can be found at cannabis.mo.gov. Individuals who have questions about whether a particular product came from a licensed facility can contact the DHSS Toll-Free Access Line: 866-219-0165 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Thursday) or reach out to [email protected].
What is the difference between regular cannabis and hemp-derived (e.g. Delta 8) products?
All cannabis plants naturally contain THC and other cannabinoids; hemp plants contain much lower amounts of THC than marijuana plants. Hemp-derived psychoactive products are made by chemically converting non-THC cannabinoids into new, psychoactive compounds, and these processes create unique health risks. In contrast, regulated marijuana products are made by traditional extraction processes, are tested to ensure they are not contaminated with dangerous substances, are labeled, with strict oversight, to ensure consumers know the potency and other ingredients in their products and are subject to packaging requirements designed to protect children. Unregulated cannabis products, including hemp-derived products, are not subject to these same (or any) health and safety requirements.
Contact Us
For inquiries, questions, or any other feedback, contact [email protected]
For media Inquiries, contact Jack Cardetti at [email protected]