Gov. Newsom Signs AB 8, Banning Synthetic Cannabinoids and Regulating Hemp THC

2 October 2025

California has enacted sweeping changes to how intoxicating hemp products are regulated. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 8 (AB-8 Cannabis: cannabinoids: industrial hemp) into law, placing hemp-derived intoxicants such as delta-8 THC under the same laws that govern marijuana.

The law, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, bans synthetic cannabinoids, restricts inhalable hemp products, and creates strict conditions for incorporating hemp extracts into consumer goods. Only CBD or CBN isolates of over 99 percent purity without THC or synthetic additives will be permitted in foods, beverages, or supplements starting in 2026.

State regulators have argued that the changes are necessary to protect consumers and support the licensed cannabis market, which has faced competition from unregulated hemp products sold at gas stations, convenience stores, and online. Governor Newsom said the measure stops “nefarious hemp manufacturers” from exploiting loopholes that make intoxicating products available to children and other vulnerable groups.

The Department of Cannabis Control reported nearly universal compliance during recent enforcement sweeps, but more than 7,000 illegal products were still pulled from shelves. AB 8 strengthens the authority of regulators to inspect, seize, and destroy unlawful hemp and cannabis products.

The most significant provisions take effect January 1, 2028, when intoxicating hemp products will only be available in licensed dispensaries, subject to testing, labeling, and age restrictions.

• For consumers, this means that intoxicating hemp products such as delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids will face the same safeguards as cannabis, while hemp-derived CBD remains available in some consumer goods under narrow restrictions.
• For industry stakeholders, the law creates a unified regulatory framework but also raises compliance hurdles for hemp businesses that had operated outside the cannabis licensing system.

The move aligns California with a growing trend across the country, as other states and Congress debate how to regulate intoxicating hemp products in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp federally.