Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Cannabis for Fido? Check out California’s proposed rules for pet products
Pet products to soothe and relieve pain are part of a multimillion dollar industry.
(
Andres Kudacki
/
Getty Images
)
What you need to know
California’s Department of Cannabis Control is working toward new rules that could protect pets from potentially harmful products.
Hemp and cannabis-based products each contain THC, the chemical that produces psychoactive effects. Currently, only hemp-based products can be sold for animal consumption — so long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. Owners often turn to these products to help alleviate their pets’ anxiety or joint pain. Nationally, hemp-based pet products are part of a multimillion dollar industry.
State law requires the Department of Cannabis Control to create a regulatory framework for cannabis-based products, and to announce those rules by July 1. And now the state is seeking for public comment.
Good to know
-
Hemp-based pet products are often marketed as “CBD products.” CBD is an abbreviation for "cannabidiol," which is a non-psychoactive, naturally-occurring compound present in both hemp and cannabis.
Support for LAist comes from
What specific changes do the proposed rules include?
Under the proposed regulations, pet products will be subject to strict guidelines throughout the supply chain, including manufacturing, packaging, labeling and testing, all to ensure the products aren’t adulterated or misbranded.
“[W]e are setting the stage for high-quality products that pet owners can trust,” said Nicole Elliott, the department’s director, in a statement.
The proposed rules would allow for the sale of products that animals can consume, as well as products that can be applied to their bodies. All of these products would be required to contain no more than one milligram of THC per package.
According to the department, “current scientific understanding does not support the safety of high-THC products for animals.”
The one milligram threshold, the department added, “is designed to reduce the potential for adverse effects, ensuring safe and responsible use.”
The department has also stated that the threshold “will reduce the risk of toxicosis and death from exposure to unsafe levels of THC.”
Support for LAist comes from
How can I weigh in?
If you'd like to comment on the proposed regulations, you have until Monday, June 23, to do so.
You can send your comments to the Department of Cannabis Control:
- by mail: DCC Legal Affairs Division, 2920 Kilgore Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
- by email: publiccomment@cannabis.ca.gov
Be sure to reference the rulemaking topic "DCC-2025-02-R: Animal Cannabis Product Standards” in your correspondence.
You can also weigh in during a virtual public hearing at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 24. (The link to participate will be available on the department’s website before 9 a.m. on the day of the hearing.)
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist