Health & Saf. Code, § 111920

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 248, Sec. 31. (AB 8) Effective January 1, 2026. Operative January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 111921.8.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Department” means the State Department of Public Health.

(b) “Established and approved industrial hemp program” means a program that meets any applicable requirements set forth in federal law regarding the lawful and safe cultivation of industrial hemp.

(c) “Final form product” is a product intended for consumer use to be sold by a retailer.

(d) “Hemp manufacturer” means a processor purchasing or processing industrial hemp raw extract for the purpose of manufacturing a final form product.

(e) “Independent testing laboratory” means a laboratory that meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Does not have a direct or indirect interest in the entity for which testing is being done.

(2) Does not have a direct or indirect interest in a facility that cultivates, processes, distributes, dispenses, or sells raw hemp products in this state or in another jurisdiction.

(3) Does not have a license issued pursuant to Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code, other than as a licensed testing laboratory.

(4) Is either of the following:

(A) A testing laboratory licensed pursuant to Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code, if the licensed testing lab has notified the Department of Cannabis Control.

(B) Accredited by a third-party accrediting body as a competent testing laboratory pursuant to ISO/IEC 17025 of the International Organization for Standardization.

(f) “Industrial hemp” has the same meaning as in Section 11018.5. “Industrial hemp” does not include synthetic cannabinoids, as defined in Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code.

(g) (1) “Industrial hemp product” or “hemp product” means a finished product containing industrial hemp that meets all of the following conditions:

(A) Is a cosmetic, food, food additive, or dietary supplement.

(B) (i) Is for human or animal consumption.

(ii) “Animal” does not include livestock or a food animal as defined in Section 4825.1 of the Business and Professions Code.

(C) (i) Does not include THC.

(ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), a cosmetic that is intended to be applied topically to the skin and is not consumable may contain a THC concentration of not more than an amount determined by the department in regulation, not to exceed 0.3 percent total THC.

(2) “Industrial hemp product” does not include industrial hemp or a hemp product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration or a hemp product that includes industrial hemp or hemp that has received Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) designation. For purposes of nonfood applications, “industrial hemp product” does not include a hemp product that contains derivatives, substances, or compounds derived from the seed of industrial hemp.

(h) (1) “Manufacture” or “manufacturing” means to compound, blend, infuse, or otherwise make or prepare an industrial hemp product.

(2) “Manufacturing” includes all aspects of the infusion process and packaging and labeling processes, including processing, preparing, holding, and storing of industrial hemp products.

(3) “Manufacturing” also includes preparing, holding, or storing hemp components and ingredients.

(4) “Manufacturing” does not include planting, growing, harvesting, drying, curing, grading, trimming, or extraction of a plant or part of a plant.

(i) “Raw extract” or “industrial hemp raw extract” means extract not intended for consumer use and that contains a THC concentration of not more than an amount determined by the department in regulation.

(j) “Raw hemp product” means a product that is derived from industrial hemp that is intended to be included in a food, beverage, dietary supplement, or cosmetic.

(k) “Retail” has the same meaning as in Section 113895 and includes online sales to customers in California.

(l) “THC” or “THC or comparable cannabinoid” means any of the following:

(1) Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid.

(2) Any tetrahydrocannabinol, including, but not limited to, Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and Delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol, however derived, except that the department may exclude one or more isomers of tetrahydrocannabinol from this definition under subdivision (a) of Section 111921.7.

(3) Any other cannabinoid, except cannabidiol, that the department determines, under subdivision (b) of Section 111921.7, to cause intoxication.

(m) “THCA” means tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, CAS number 23978-85-0.

(n) “Total THC” means the sum of THC and THCA. Total THC shall be calculated using the following equation: total THC concentration (mg/g) +/- the measurement of uncertainty, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture.