Attorney General Mike Hilgers on Thursday announced he has issued cease & desist letters to 104 Omaha metro area stores that are selling illegal or unlawful THC-containing products. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska Attorney General’s Office investigators made purchases of products from stores owned by 35 different companies earlier this year.
Hilgers says each store investigated had at least one product marketed as hemp, which actually had a delta-9 concentration over the legal limit, making it marijuana, and had labels that incorrectly identified the content of the products.
The letters issued to the Omaha stores communicate that many of the THC-containing products their company sells misrepresent the concentrations and types of THC contained within those products. This lack of proper labeling means that the stores are engaging in deceptive, unfair, and unsafe trade practices, and also engaging in illegal conduct.
Hilgers office is sending formal letters to each of the stores, giving them 30 days to cease all sales of THC-containing products to avoid being sued. “We promised that we would escalate our fight, and today are fulfilling that promise,” says.
“Operating in Nebraska’s largest city does not immunize you from the law. These stores are selling harmful and unlawful products despite being on notice. Because of that, once litigation ensues, we will seek penalties to the fullest extent of the law, and will refer for criminal prosecution when necessary.”
To date, the Attorney General’s Office has filed 15 lawsuits alleging violations of the Consumer Protection Act, Consumer Protection Act and Nebraska Pure Food Act. Hilgers says that 12 out of 15 of the lawsuits have been settled. The remaining three are being actively litigated.