South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Industry Faces Illegal Activity Concerns
The medical cannabis industry in South Dakota is facing a new challenge, as industry leaders claim that unlicensed smoke shops are selling marijuana illegally to patients. Despite the state’s strict regulations, which include only five dispensary licenses, these shops are allegedly selling products that are not tested by state labs and have higher THC levels than the legal limit.
Emmett Reistroffer, a representative from Genesis Farms, and Alan Welsh, a former state trooper and partner with Dakota Herb, have been sounding the alarm about this issue. They claim that there are over 30 locations in Sioux Falls alone that are selling marijuana illegally, often by mislabeling products as hemp or THC-A.
Reistroffer and Welsh have conducted undercover buys and found that 100% of the products tested positive for marijuana. They also allege that some of these shops are not even checking patients’ IDs or asking for their medical cannabis cards.
Industry leaders are calling on law enforcement to take action and put a stop to this illegal activity. They believe that a warning letter to these businesses would be a good starting point, and if they do not comply, it’s time to enforce the law.
Reistroffer emphasized that patients should only purchase medical cannabis from licensed locations and stressed the importance of talking to a doctor and getting a medical card before using medical cannabis. The industry leaders hope that by working together with law enforcement, they can keep patients safe and ensure that the industry operates legally and ethically.
