Golden State Today

As part of its ongoing efforts to support the legal and regulated cannabis market, California has seized over $61 million in illegal cannabis products since the start of 2024. The state's Governor, Gavin Newsom, announced that these law enforcement operations have included the eradication of 62,135 unlicensed cannabis plants and the seizure of 36,619 pounds of unlicensed cannabis products.

Governor Newsom stated, “While we watch California’s legal cannabis market grow to become the largest worldwide, we are taking down those who operate outside the law. Putting a stop to illegal cannabis operations also means stopping organized crime, human trafficking, and the spread of illegal products that harm the health of Californians and our environment.”

The operations were conducted from January 1 through April 30, 2024 by the Governor’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce in several counties including Alameda, Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Joaquin, Trinity, and Orange. The enforcement actions resulted in:

- $61,467,088 million in illegal cannabis seized and destroyed

- 36,619 pounds of unlicensed cannabis seized and destroyed

- 62,135 unlicensed cannabis plants eradicated

- 11 firearms seized

- 5 arrests

Since its inception in 2022, the task force has seized $406,359,957 in unlicensed cannabis through 256 search warrants. It has also eradicated 409,656 plants and seized 139 firearms.

The task force comprises various state agencies such as Department of Cannabis Control; Department of Fish and Wildlife; California National Guard; Department of Tax and Fee Administration; State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights; along with multiple federal and local partners.

The Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce was established by Governor Newsom to increase coordination between state, local and federal partners for enforcing laws related to cannabis. Its actions aim to protect consumer and public safety, safeguard the environment, and disrupt illegal cannabis operations that harm consumers and undercut the regulated cannabis market in California.

In addition to these enforcement actions, Governor Newsom has enacted policies and funding to support legal, regulated cannabis throughout the state. These include legislation to erase past cannabis convictions, combat discrimination against off-the-job cannabis use, ensure statewide access to medicinal cannabis, and facilitate California's cooperation with other states in building legal interstate cannabis markets.

For more information about the legal California cannabis market, state licenses, and laws, visit cannabis.ca.gov.