Kansas officials crack down on ‘brazen’ sales of marijuana and THC products with statewide raids

OG Article By Sherman Smith

October 02 2025

Overview

Kansas authorities raided 10 shops in six cities on Wednesday, targeting illegal cannabis and THC product sales. Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) Director Tony Mattivi and Attorney General Kris Kobach announced the crackdown in Topeka.

Raids and Targets

• Locations: Concordia, McPherson, Pratt, Salina, Topeka, Wichita.

• Stores Raided:

  • EZ Smoke and Vape (2 locations, Wichita)

  • Whiskey River Trading (Pratt)

  • Cigarette Outlet (Pratt)

  • Pratt Tobacco and Vape (Pratt)

  • Space Out Smoke Vapor & Tobacco (Salina)

  • Vapor 100 (Salina)

  • Mountain Gypsy Vape Shop (Concordia)

  • The Hanging Leaf (McPherson)

  • Sacred Leaf (Topeka)

• Seized Products: Cannabis bud, pre-rolled cigarettes, THC vapes, THC teas. Items sent to KBI or private labs for testing.

• Future Actions: More raids planned for Wednesday and Thursday.

Reasons for Crackdown

• Health Risks: High-potency THC products (75-95% purity) linked to teen health issues.

• Brazen Violations: Shops openly sold illegal cannabis products, ignoring the Kansas Controlled Substances Act.

• Lax Enforcement: Past inconsistent enforcement allowed illegal sales to grow.

Context

• Legal Status: Cannabis remains illegal in Kansas, despite neighboring states’ legalization. A 2021 House bill for medicinal cannabis stalled in the Senate.

• 2018 Farm Bill: Legalized some hemp products, leading shops to push boundaries with THC sales.

Statements

• Tony Mattivi: “These places are weed dealers in strip malls. Kids face less resistance buying cannabis than tobacco.”

• Kris Kobach: “The period of lax enforcement is ending. KBI is taking the lead.”

Next Steps

Kansas lawmakers may revisit medicinal cannabis legalization in the next session. For now, authorities emphasize enforcing existing laws.