A recent study reveals the sale of intoxicating hemp-based THC products to underage purchasers in a couple of Minnesota cities are occurring at alarmingly high levels.
After the 2018 Farm Bill that legalised hemp at a federal level in the USA, the Minnesota Legislature passed restrictions on hemp-derived THC products in 2022. This included a limit of 40mg of THC per package, 5mg per unit and a minimum purchase age of 21. There were no restrictions on retail establishments that could sell hemp-derived THC products.
After adult-use cannabis became legal in the state in 2023, Minnesota required all establishments selling hemp-derived THC products to register. A licensing system was also being developed but had not been implemented until the beginning of fall 2025.
So, how effective has the age limit aspect been on restricting underage purchases?
Researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Cannabis Research Center have published initial results from a study that assessed how likely it is that underage people can purchase intoxicating hemp-derived THC products at retail establishments in the state.
And the news isn’t good.
- The overall sales rate to pseudo-underage buyers was 34%.
- There was no difference in sales rate between on- versus off-premise establishments.
- Establishments primarily selling age-restricted products were less likely to sell to the pseudo-underage buyers.
- Vendors in Minneapolis and St. Paul were more likely to sell to an underage person than establishments in suburbs within the Twin Cities metro area.
- Liquor stores and bars were the least likely to sell to an underage person, while establishments that typically do not sell age-restricted products were the most likely.
The researchers state:
” These findings are consistent with concerns about youth access to intoxicating hemp-derived products cited by members of US Congress who recently passed legislation to strictly limit the THC levels in hemp products.”
As for the opinions of Minnesotans themselves, surveys carried out by the Cannabis Research Center over a few years indicate they generally feel THC products should be available in some types of stores but not all. And over time, a smaller proportion of Minnesotans surveyed indicated hemp-derived THC products should be allowed to be sold at all types of stores.
Further details are available here. Note that the study data is considered preliminary and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
