The places we have identified are all weed sellers in strip malls.
Sherman Smith is the Kansas Reflector
Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi (R) and Attorney General Kris Kobach announced Wednesday a crackdown on the “brazen” sale of marijuana and products containing THC as law enforcement conducted raids in 10 stores across six towns.
At a Topeka press conference, the two men spoke to journalists about their raids.
Mattivi stated that the KBI targeted illegal drug retail sales as teenagers suffered dire health effects from products with high THC concentrations.
Mattivi stated, “I visited one of the locations today.” The violations of Kansas Controlled Substances Act is brazen. They sell pre-rolled cigarettes. The shops sell marijuana buds. In canisters they sell marijuana flower and by the cigarette.
The places we identified are only weed sellers in strip malls. We cannot continue not to enforce controlled substance laws, when these substances have bad effects on Kansas children.
Mattivi noted that Kansas children would have less difficulty buying marijuana as compared to tobacco cigarettes.
He said, “It’s time to put an end to that.”
Mattivi explained that KBI agents and local police spent weeks planning raids on locations in which local prosecutors were willing to press charges. In Concordia as well as McPherson and Pratt in Salina, Topeka, Wichita, and Wichita were the first wave of targets. Mattivi confirmed that the products seized would be tested by KBI and private laboratories.
Kansas remains an illegal state despite the fact that many of its neighboring states have some degree of legalized marijuana. Kansas lawmakers considered legislation to legalize the use of marijuana as a medicine in recent years. While the House approved this in 2021 and Senate leadership blocked several proposals, Kansas lawmakers had looked at similar bills. It is likely that the issue will resurface at next year’s session of legislature, just before election season.
Kobach stated that the law enforcement is necessary for now. He said that many products are illegal in Kansas stores, such as THC vapes, THC teas, and THC tea capsules.
Kobach explained that Kansas laws against THC and marijuana have either been enforced intermittently, or not at all, in many jurisdictions. This is an official announcement of the end of the lax enforcement period. The KBI is taking the initiative to identify places where marijuana is being sold with brazen abandon.
Kobach & Mattivi traced an increase in illegal hemp sales to Congress’ 2018 Farm Bill that allowed some hemp-based products.
“Since Farm Bill was passed, some of these products have been accepted more, whether it’s CBD or THC,” Mattivi stated. Over time, I believe that these shops have continued to push the envelope.
Mattivi stated that some of these products contain between 75 and 95 percent THC.
Mattivi stated that “part of the issue we are dealing with in regards to THC is the constant rise in the amount of THC present in products.” Mattivi said, “This isn’t the 6-7 percent THC stash weed which many in this area are familiar with.”
The KBI said the following stores were raided midday Wednesday: Two EZ Smoke and Vape locations in Wichita, Whiskey River Trading in Pratt, Cigarette Outlet in Pratt, Pratt Tobacco and Vape in Pratt, Space Out Smoke Vapor & Tobacco in Salina, Vapor 100 in Salina, Mountain Gypsy Vape Shop in Concordia, The Hanging Leaf in McPherson, and Sacred Leaf in Topeka.
Kansas Reflector was the first to publish this story.
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