Philadelphia suburbs are home to hundreds of smoke shops selling hemp products, but these businesses are using deceptive lab reports to mislead customers about the potency of their products.
According to a recent grand jury report released by Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, more than 90% of edibles, THC vapes, and loose flower products sold at these smoke shops exceeded federal standards for THC content. Many products were also found to be mislabeled or backed by dubious certificates from suppliers, leaving customers unaware of the risks associated with consuming them.
Steele described some of the products as "straight-up marijuana," which is a felony in Pennsylvania. The district attorney's office has been investigating these smoke shops for over a year and has found that many are selling products to anyone who walks through the door, including children.
The grand jury report highlights nine instances in the past year where children were sickened after ingesting THC products commonly sold at smoke shops. Steele called on state lawmakers to impose standards for product safety and testing, establish an age limit of 21 for THC products, and regulate the marketing of these products with stricter regulations than tobacco and nicotine.
The report also urges lawmakers to create clear definitions of marijuana derivatives, such as Delta-8, Delta-10, and THCA, to prevent them from being sold under the banner of "legal hemp."
Steele warned that the smoke shop industry is a "big business" that is taking advantage of federal laws to sell products without oversight. He said that people are hiding behind the "Farm Bill compliant" label, but this is not true.
The investigation has already led to significant action being taken by law enforcement agencies in Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester counties. Steele announced that his office has issued search warrants at smoke shops, arrested some individuals, and seized over half a million dollars in cash and other proceeds.
As the state of Pennsylvania struggles with its own efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, this report highlights the need for clearer standards and regulations around the sale of these products.
According to a recent grand jury report released by Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, more than 90% of edibles, THC vapes, and loose flower products sold at these smoke shops exceeded federal standards for THC content. Many products were also found to be mislabeled or backed by dubious certificates from suppliers, leaving customers unaware of the risks associated with consuming them.
Steele described some of the products as "straight-up marijuana," which is a felony in Pennsylvania. The district attorney's office has been investigating these smoke shops for over a year and has found that many are selling products to anyone who walks through the door, including children.
The grand jury report highlights nine instances in the past year where children were sickened after ingesting THC products commonly sold at smoke shops. Steele called on state lawmakers to impose standards for product safety and testing, establish an age limit of 21 for THC products, and regulate the marketing of these products with stricter regulations than tobacco and nicotine.
The report also urges lawmakers to create clear definitions of marijuana derivatives, such as Delta-8, Delta-10, and THCA, to prevent them from being sold under the banner of "legal hemp."
Steele warned that the smoke shop industry is a "big business" that is taking advantage of federal laws to sell products without oversight. He said that people are hiding behind the "Farm Bill compliant" label, but this is not true.
The investigation has already led to significant action being taken by law enforcement agencies in Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester counties. Steele announced that his office has issued search warrants at smoke shops, arrested some individuals, and seized over half a million dollars in cash and other proceeds.
As the state of Pennsylvania struggles with its own efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, this report highlights the need for clearer standards and regulations around the sale of these products.
This is totally wild that smoke shops are using fake lab reports to rip off customers! 
I mean, we've all heard of some shady stuff in the industry, but this takes the cake. And it's not just about the potency – all those THC vapes and edibles being sold to anyone who walks in? 
It's like they're putting people's lives at risk. We need stricter regulations ASAP! I'm with DA Steele on this one – we should be protecting our citizens from these unscrupulous businesses. And can you imagine if your kid gets sick after ingesting some "hemp" product? 
The Farm Bill compliant label is just a joke, right? 
We need clearer standards and laws to keep people safe. This report needs more attention from lawmakers – it's time for change! 
And it's not just that - they're also selling to kids! I mean, what if a 12-year-old mistakes a THC product for a candy or something? 
The fact that there's been nine reported cases of children getting sick is wild. We need stricter regulations and laws in place ASAP. It's time for the state to step up and protect its citizens from these reckless businesses. 
we need stricter regulations 2 protect ppl, especially kids 
and idk why ppl are makin a big deal about the farm bill compliant label like that's just a fancy way of sayin it's not regulated 
. The DA needs to step in and create some standards, stat! It's time to get serious about these products. I mean, we can't have people selling "hemp" that's basically just marijuana in disguise 
. This is like the Wild West out there.
Like seriously, who wants to risk getting sick from some sketchy edibles or vape that's 10x too strong? 
It's like the laws are all messed up 
. And don't even get me started on how they're selling this stuff to kids, like what is wrong with people?! 
We need some serious reform ASAP 
. And the worst part is they're just using fancy-schmancy lab reports to cover their tracks 
, like no one cares about that stuff 
.
.
Anyway, back to this smoke shop thing... it's crazy that they're selling stuff to kids. My little cousin just found out about these edibles from his friends and now he's always getting anxious like a teenager 
. I guess we need stricter regulations on this stuff, but also let's be real, how do you even test for potency in something as weird as hemp products? 
. I mean, think about it - they're selling stuff that's basically straight-up marijuana, but they're labeling it as hemp products to avoid the law. It's like playing a game of "marijuana roulette" for customers, especially kids who might accidentally ingest something they shouldn't. The fact that 90% of these products exceed federal standards is just crazy 
It's like they're takin' advantage of people's ignorance and sellin' 'em some sketchy products. We need stricter regulations on these shops ASAP so parents can feel safe buyin' stuff for their kids 
. And let's be real, if we don't get our act together, it's gonna lead to some serious health problems down the line 
. I'm all for tryin' to help people relax and have a good time, but not at the expense of public safety 
.
This is wild, right? I mean, smoke shops in Philly suburbs are basically selling weed like it's candy, but they're not even following the law! 90% of their stuff is way too potent, and some places are selling to minors. It's crazy that these businesses are getting away with this, especially since they're using fake lab reports to make themselves look legit.
And get this - some of these shops are selling to kids 
. We need stricter regulations and standards for product safety and testing ASAP! And can we please get some clarity on what these "marijuana derivatives" like Delta-8 and THCA even are? 
. Time for some real regulation 
.