California touts seizure of $316M in unlicensed cannabis in first quarter

California authorities have seized more than $316 million in unlicensed cannabis and $474,000 in cash in the first quarter of 2025.

That’s according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose office also noted in a news release that ramped-up enforcement – a key initiative for the Department of Cannabis Control – since January included:

“As California’s legal cannabis market expands, we have a responsibility to crack down on the nefarious actors that put public health at risk and undermine the progress we’ve made,” Newsom said in a statement.

“Unlicensed, unregulated products threaten consumer safety and jeopardize the integrity of this industry.”

Several law enforcement and regulatory agencies contributed to the investigations and seizures:

Since Newsom’s emergency regulations in September that eliminated 90%-95% of hemp retail products, agents from California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control have visited 9,251 locations and seized more than 7,000 hemp products from 141 violators.

In March, the state’s health department extended the temporary ban to at least June for any products with a detectable level of hemp-derived THC.

The state said it seized and/or eradicated unregulated cannabis products valued at $544 million in 2024, though government estimates are often exaggerated.