Missouri Governor Mike Parson issued an executive order Thursday effectively banning unregulated psychoactive cannabis products in the state.

"Today, we are announcing new actions to combat the spread of unregulated psychoactive cannabis products that put the health of Missourians at risk," Governor Parson said in a press release. "This Executive Order effectively bans the sale of these potentially harmful products in Missouri until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action. Protecting Missourians, especially the most vulnerable, our children, has been our guiding principle since the very beginning and remains so today." 

The products, like Delta-8, are often packaged in ways to attract kids.

Gov. Parson's action comes in response to a recent increase in availability of products containing psychoactive cannabis and the emerging concerns regarding the health effects of these substances, especially among Missouri's youth. In Missouri, there has been a 600 percent increase in the number of children 5 and under experiencing cannabis poisoning that resulted in Emergency Room visits or hospitalizations since 2018. Additionally, America’s Poison Control Center has documented that 41 percent of exposures of Delta 8, an unregulated intoxicating hemp product, are occurring in children 12 and younger.  

The Parson administration points to national poison control figures that show 41 percent of Delta 8 exposures are cases involvingchildren 12 and younger…it also cites a large increase in Missouri hospital visits for kids under the age of five due to cannabis poisoning since 2018.

Today's order also bans the sale of psychoactive cannabis products at retail establishments with a liquor license.