Cal NORML is urging state officials to revise California’s proposed hemp regulations, warning that the current language could block access to critical medical products for thousands of patients.

In a letter submitted ahead of a California Department of Public Health (CDPH) hearing today, the group expressed support for the state’s effort to keep intoxicating hemp products out of convenience stores and away from minors. However, it criticized a key provision that defines non-intoxicating hemp products as those with “no detectable amount” of THC, calling it overly restrictive and harmful to medical consumers.

“Many of these medically complex and disabled children have relied on naturally occurring hemp for over a decade,” said Dr. Bonni Goldstein, a Southern California pediatrician whose patients include children with epilepsy, autism and cancer. “If they lose access to their safe and effective hemp treatment, they face the risk of life-threatening seizures or a resurgence of other severe symptoms.”

Cal NORML argues that trace levels of THC are naturally present in full-spectrum hemp extracts and that banning them would cut off access to safe, non-intoxicating products. The group notes that even FDA-approved medications like Epidiolex contain small amounts of THC.

The organization recommends California adopt a more flexible standard similar to Colorado’s, which allows hemp products with up to 1.75 milligrams of THC per dose as long as they maintain a CBD-to-THC ratio of at least 15:1. Cal NORML also stresses that such products are not appealing to minors seeking a high.

Without changes, the group says the regulation could violate Proposition 215, the voter-approved initiative that guarantees safe and affordable access to medical cannabis in California.