What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation strengthening California’s protections for young people by banning cannabis advertising and labels that are attractive to children. This builds on the state’s broader efforts to crack down on intoxicating products that exploit regulatory loopholes.
September 1, 2026 - SACRAMENTO – Building on California’s existing safeguards, Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed Assembly Bill 2249 authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), which strengthens laws on cannabis packaging, labeling, advertising and marketing that may appeal to children – including images of cartoons, candies, and sweets.
AB 2249 strengthens and clarifies California’s existing youth protections, supporting consistent standards and providing licensees with clear expectations for operating in California’s regulated cannabis market.
When voters legalized adult-use cannabis, they also made clear that California must protect children and ensure cannabis products are sold in a tightly regulated marketplace. Today we are setting clearer, enforceable standards that protect kids, strengthen accountability, and give responsible businesses the certainty they need to follow the rules.
Governor Gavin Newsom
This legislation follows recommendations from the California State Auditor to provide greater clarity around the state’s existing standards for cannabis packaging that may appeal to children.
“The recent audit completed by the State Auditor confirmed what many have long recognized: California’s cannabis industry continues to package and market products in ways which are overtly attractive to children,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “Since the passage of Proposition 64, child cannabis poisonings have increased dramatically. These exposures are often driven by cannabis product packaging that uses features which are explicitly attractive to children, leading children to consume the products unintentionally. Young children who accidentally consume cannabis require poison control treatment consistently, and in many cases, they can also expose their fellow elementary and middle school peers to cannabis. AB 2249 acts on recommendations from the auditor to clarify and strengthen California’s standards for what constitutes cannabis packaging that is attractive to children.”
Strengthening safeguards for California kids
AB 2249 strengthens safeguards enacted by voters in Proposition 64 in 2016, which established the state’s regulated adult-use cannabis market for people 21 and older. The bill provides clearer benchmarks for regulators to identify cannabis packaging, labeling, advertising, and marketing that are attractive to young people, including cartoons and other imagery associated with children’s entertainment, candy and sweets, and products that mimic the appearance of non-cannabis goods primarily marketed to children.
The legislation also restricts cartoon or overly stylized fruit imagery on edible cannabis and vape cartridge labeling while preserving realistic fruit imagery used to accurately describe ingredients or where a product was produced.
The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) will develop resources to help licensees evaluate their products for compliance, including education materials, examples and guidance.
Closing loopholes that put kids at risk
California’s efforts to protect children extend beyond the regulated cannabis market.
In 2024, Governor Newsom took action against a growing loophole involving intoxicating hemp products — including beverages, gummies and other products appearing on shelves outside the regulated cannabis marketplace.
The Governor directed state regulators to crack down on these products and issued emergency regulations establishing stronger protections, including prohibiting detectable THC in consumable hemp products, limiting package size and establishing a minimum purchase age of 21.
California has also brought together public health, cannabis, alcohol and tax enforcement agencies to ensure these products comply with state law.
California leads with regulation and enforcement
California remains a national leader in implementing a comprehensive approach to cannabis legalization that prioritizes public safety, consumer protection, environmental stewardship, and a well-regulated legal marketplace. California oversees one of the world’s largest regulated cannabis markets while working to ensure compliance and accountability across the industry.
At the same time, the state has led some of the nation’s most aggressive efforts to combat illicit cannabis activity through coordinated enforcement operations involving DCC, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), other state partners, and local law enforcement. These efforts have targeted illegal cultivation and manufacturing sites that threaten public safety, divert water resources, harm wildlife habitats, and undermine licensed businesses. By pairing strong enforcement with investments in prevention, public health, environmental restoration, and local community support, California continues to demonstrate that legalization and public safety go hand in hand.
To learn more about the legal California cannabis market, state licenses, and laws, visit cannabis.ca.gov.
Source: Office of the Governor
