WORTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Agriculture and a southeast Georgia sheriff’s office worked together before the new year to ensure businesses were following the law when it comes to sales of hemp products and alcohol.
According to the Department of Agriculture, officers worked with the Worth County Sheriff’s Office to make sure underage sales of THC products and other 21-and-up products weren’t being sold to underage consumers.
“Preventing underage access to alcohol, vapes, and THC products is critical to the safety and well-being of our community,” Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker said in a statement. “These compliance checks are not intended to punish businesses, but to ensure accountability and encourage responsible practices.”
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According to officials, the Dec. 30 operation used “supervised underage operatives who attempted to purchase THC products and alcohol” at more than a dozen businesses in Worth County.
Out of the 17 businesses operatives went to, seven were found to be violating state laws for sales of THC products and alcohol to underage Georgians.
“The Georgia Department of Agriculture has zero tolerance towards the sale of hemp-derived THC products to Georgians under 21,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper said. “We are grateful to the establishments that are complying with the law and keeping these products away from children, and we look forward to working with Law Enforcement and retail hemp license holders to ensure these products are not sold to underage Georgians.”
The businesses that weren’t following the state’s sale regulations for THC and alcohol were cited, which means they could face fines, license action or other penalties.
Warrants were also issued for the arrests of those responsible for selling to underage buyers.
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