Pate, Johnson & Church has represented both individuals and companies in criminal and civil proceedings in Georgia in matters involving Delta-8 and Delta-10 products derived from hemp. Our firm filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Fulton County requesting an injunction against Gwinnett County District Attorney, Patsy Austin-Gatson, and also requested that Delta-8 and Delta-10 hemp products be explicitly ruled as legal in Georgia. The injunction temporarily prevents District Attorney Austin-Gaston’s office from prosecuting store owners, seizing assets, and conducting raids on local business that sell hemp products.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution contacted Attorneys Page Pate and Tom Church to discuss the injunction granted in this case, in which we represent two Gwinnett County vape store owners who have had their shops raided and millions of dollars of inventory seized. Tom tells the AJC that Ms. Austin-Gaston “directed a law enforcement task force to raid at least two distributors, seizing inventory worth millions and hundreds of thousands in cash,” and that “At least one person is facing felony marijuana charges.”
Page tells the AJC that as a result of Ms. Austin-Gaston’s directive, Bloom Smoke & Vape and Great Vape, which operate several stores throughout Gwinnett, ceased selling delta-8 and delta-10 products. As alleged in the lawsuit our firm filed, “Bloom Smoke & Vape is losing more than 30% of its income and Great Vape is losing more than 60.”
Page also explains that “There’s a lot of confusion” surrounding the legality of Delta-8 and Delta-10. He says “Let’s not prosecute people and take all their stuff if there’s a legitimate question that it’s legal. He also says “Delta-8 and delta-10 products relieve pain and stress without the psychological effects of marijuana.”
