Over 100 Cases of CBD Gummies Seized in Massive Drug Raid

Will a case of CBD gummies and kratom seized in massive drug raid hold up in a court of law?

By
A.J. Herrington

In the state of Alabama, over 100 cases of CBD gummies and kratom seized in massive drug raid could lead to criminal charges. Officers with the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task forced raided American Wholesale Distributors in Pelham on Friday. Agents found gummy bears infused with cannabidiol and kratom at the business.

Trouble With The Law

The State of Alabama listed components found in kratom as controlled substances in 2016. CBD is only legal in Alabama when administered under the care of a doctor.

Lawmakers passed “Carly’s Law” in 2014, which allowed for children to use CBD in a clinical trial. The law’s name honored Carly Chandler, a young Birmingham girl who suffered from a serious seizure disorder.

The legislature went even further with “Leni’s Law” in 2016. That measure allows patients with some serious medical conditions to use CBD without fear of reprisal. Leni Young is a medical marijuana patient who moved with her family to Oregon in order to legally obtain CBD.

State Bureau of Investigation Lt. Jon Riley told local media that the seized candy did not comply with those laws.

“In this case, it is being distributed out of a wholesale location and being taken to convenience stores where there is no pharmacological or medical benefit,” Riley said. “It’s oceans apart from Carly’s Law and Leni’s Law.”

Riley added that the source and purity of the cannabidiol used in the gummies are not known.

“They are laced with CBD oil and in some cases the cannabidiol are synthetic and there are some cases we don’t know what it is until we send it to the lab and see what is in these products. We do know it’s not legal, it’s not safe and it has no medicinal value,” he said.  “Absolutely they are attempting to skirt the law.”

Police Say Kids Are Buying The CBD Gummies

Lt. Riley also said that some of the candy has been falling into the hands of local kids.

“Many of these products are marketed to youth,” he said. “There’s nothing stopping a 15 or 16-year- old from walking into certain convenience stores and picking these items up.”

Police have received several complaints recently about the CBD candy, according to Riley.

“I can tell you we’ve talked to many parents who have called and complained about the CBD oil gummy bears,” he said. “I know there are a lot of parents who will be happy and we’re more than happy to serve the community and get this product off the street.”

Will The Case Fall Apart?

The case is similar to one in Tennessee last month. In “Operation Candy Crush,” police in Rutherford County also seized CBD gummies from a total of 23 vape shops and convenience stores. They also filed felony drug charges against 21 business owners.

Prosecutors were later forced to drop all charges in the case after lab tests could not determine the source of the CBD in the candy. CBD derived from hemp is legal in Tennesse.

Police say that they have not yet charged anyone in the case. They have taken the seized gummies to a lab the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for analysis. Prosecutors could subsequently file charges of trafficking in cannabis or distribution of a controlled substance.

A.J. Herrington

A.J. Herrington is a San Diego-based freelance writer covering cannabis news, business, and culture.

By
A.J. Herrington

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