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NORRISTOWN, Pa. - Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced Wednesday that 46 retail businesses have been charged following an investigation into the illegal sale of THC products throughout the county. The charges come after detectives made public purchases at smoke shops, convenience stores and gas stations in 26 townships, according to the district attorney's office.
Investigation into unregulated THC sales at retail locations
What we know:
Detectives made public purchases of THC products at numerous stores, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. The products included gummies, beverages and vape cartridges that were labeled as containing THC.
Some seized items indicated more than 1,000mg of THC in a single gummy, the district attorney's office said. After announcing findings in a 2025 grand jury report, the district attorney issued notices warning businesses to stop selling illegal THC products or face prosecution.
Authorities say the charges involve only the sale of THC products and are part of a wider crackdown on unregulated substances at smoke shops and similar stores. Each business is charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance.
"Businesses do not get to ignore the laws of this Commonwealth merely because there is profit to be made. Too many smoke shops and gas stations have become distributors of wholly unregulated, dangerous, and, in this case, illegal products," said District Attorney Steele. "Our enforcement actions are taken to protect Montgomery County youth and the general public from the unscrupulous sales of illegal substances in the businesses."
The backstory:
In October 2025, the district attorney's office released a grand jury report titled "Unregulated, Unsafe, and Illegal – The Reality of Smoke Shops in Pennsylvania," which found many area smoke shops were selling illegal THC products.
After the report, businesses received official notices to remove unlawful THC products from their stores, warning that continued sales could result in prosecution. The investigation later revealed that some businesses kept selling THC items after receiving these warnings, according to the district attorney's office.
What's next:
All defendants from the 46 businesses are scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings on Nov. 9 before Court of Common Pleas Judge Wendy G. Rothstein.
The Commonwealth says it will seek legal conditions requiring all illegal items to be removed from store shelves and ask that stores implement practices to keep legal intoxicating products out of minors’ reach.
What we don't know:
The district attorney's office has not released the names of the 46 businesses charged or specific details about the potential penalties each could face if convicted.
The Source: This article contains information from a release by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.