CCD Packaging & Labeling Meeting
On Monday morning, April 27th, The New Mexico CCD hosted a near hour-long presentation focused almost entirely on labels, cartoons, and branding. Using real examples pulled from inspections including brands like Headspace, Enchanted Botanicals, Backpack Boyz, even Jeffrey’s High Lonesome Gummies weren’t spared from Todd’s slideshow.
“No Love Lost”
The presentation follows a tumultuous last few weeks where operators experienced an increase in inspections, some as many as ten or more times. So far, no formal Notices of Contemplated Action (NCA) have been issued. But that window is closing.
“We are coming upon that timetable where we are going to be making those decisions,” said Todd Stevens, noting that enforcement outcomes will depend on cooperation, voluntary recalls, whether businesses have made good-faith efforts to correct violations, or if operators just tell inspectors “you don’t know what your doing”, “see you in court”, a subtle signal that tension is beginning to spill, on both sides.
Animaniacs
At the center of the examples were phrasing and terms of what the CCD would be looking for: animated characters, human traits, expressive faces—anything that leans into personality over product—is being treated as inherently appealing to children and therefore out of compliance. It doesn’t matter if the design is original, nostalgic, or even legally licensed.
“You may very well have the rights,” Todd said, referencing familiar mascots and brand-inspired imagery. “However, that doesn’t change the fact…”
That includes packaging that mimics well-known logos, color schemes, or branding styles from outside the industry. Even indirect resemblance can trigger a violation if the overall impression feels familiar, nostalgic, or youth-oriented.
The CCD emphasized that enforcement decisions are based on the “totality of the circumstances,” not a single element. But in practice, cartoons appear to be a automatic DQ.
No Scratches
For now, regulators are allowing a limited sell-through period for non-compliant inventory—but only if it’s properly corrected. That means fully covering offending imagery with strong, permanent adhesive labels. Temporary fixes won’t cut it.
“Not a Post-it and a piece of masking tape,” Todd emphasize. “When you try to peel these off, it should be difficult… it should probably pull the package with it.”
Essence
One of the key distinctions made was “is the product brand focused or product focused”; one of the other common denominators was not being able to identify what the product was simply based on the packaging.
And to be perfectly honest, i have to agree; for my own reasons. The bling-bling era of fancy and creative packaging was cute, but let’s be real. There is nothing more infuriating then seeing sh*t product being sold in premium packaging while quality growers can barely squeeze a nickel out of a crop.
Which leads to a question ive been wanting to ask the industry for a while.
Herbalife
Is this plant a medicine, or is it a supplement?
If you’re comfortable calling it a supplement, then we can’t be surprised when big pharma steps in and claims the real therapeutic breakthroughs for themselves.
But if you want it treated like a medicine—taken seriously, respected, regulated—then you have to ask a harder question: why the hell are we still leaning on bubble fonts, candy-style flavors, and Tony The Tiger to move low-quality product?
Can it be both, sure. There has to be a middle ground. But I think that’s the line the CCD is forcing New Mexico operators to figure out—since we didn’t want them to do it for us.
Maturity Rate
Between Clay and Todd, you can hear the frustration. And honestly, it’s not hard to imagine why. Our industry craves legitimacy. We want to stand above alcohol, position ourselves as cleaner, safer, better. And while that all may be true, when the conversation shifts to accountability—rising above the cheap tricks beer brands need to sell flavored piss water—there’s pushback.
Yes, there are bigger threats out there to our children. That’s not the point here.
The real question is simpler: do we want to keep doing what we know sales quick, Ai generated cartoon characters; that low vibration slop people lap up, or is it time to grow up?
Some people got into this to chase volume. Others came in to build something that lasts. Something with standards. Something that doesn’t need gimmicks to sell.
It can still be successful. It can even still be enjoyable.
But that balance—the CCD has made it clear, that’s on you to figure out.
