Beverly is gearing up to pull a broad lineup of hemp- and plant-derived intoxicants off store shelves after the summer, according to a city advisory and a draft Board of Health regulation. If adopted, the rule would make it illegal to manufacture, distribute, sell or offer for sale synthetically derived cannabinoids and kratom within city limits. Officials have warned that enforcement is expected to begin after Sept. 1, 2026.
What the draft would ban
The draft circulated in late June targets the manufacture, distribution and sale of “synthetically derived cannabinoids,” calling out delta-8 and delta-10 by name, along with both natural-leaf kratom and synthetically derived kratom. It also creates a catchall category of “unregulated novel intoxicating products” meant to cover newer lab-made compounds that tend to appear in convenience stores, vape shops or online.
Notably, the proposal carves out an exemption for cannabis products sold through Massachusetts state-licensed medical and adult-use dispensaries, according to the draft text posted by the City of Beverly.
Penalties and enforcement
The draft regulation leans on civil penalties and permit sanctions that fall squarely on retail permit holders. A first violation would carry a $1,000 fine, with steeper consequences for repeat offenses that include permit suspensions and potential revocation…