Unsafe cannabis edibles: CT’s attorney general, consumer protection commissioner release PSA

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - State consumer officials unveiled a public service announcement about unsafe cannabis edibles that look like kid-friendly snacks.

Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection commissioner Bryan Cafferelli posted the PSA online.

They said the PSA was produced in partnership with the Connecticut Broadcasters Association and will air on television and radio over the next 13 weeks.

“We’re still seeing highly potent illegal cannabis products that look like common kid snacks. These edibles are untested and unsafe, and can land kids in the hospital. If you see these products, keep them away from children and report them at ct.gov/reportillegalcannabis,” Tong said. “After months of sustained enforcement and public education, we’re seeing fewer and fewer of these dangerous illegal products. This PSA is an important next step in those ongoing efforts to protect Connecticut kids.”

“[The Department of Consumer Protection] is proud to partner with the attorney general on this important educational campaign,” Cafferelli said. “While our teams have worked hard to discourage the sale and distribution of these illegal and potentially dangerous unregulated products, it is also important to make sure children and families in our state are aware of the dangers of consuming these products. This educational campaign will help us spread the word and prevent Connecticut children from accidentally consuming illegal cannabis products that look like common snacks.”

Tong said residents over age 21 can legally possess and consume cannabis in Connecticut. Cannabis products may only be sold in the regulated market and must meet certain testing and packaging requirements. For example, packaging for edible cannabis products must be uniformly white and cannot be visually similar to any commercially similar product that does not contain cannabis. Cannabis products sold outside of the regulated market continue to be illegal and may subject sellers to civil and criminal penalties.

Illegal look-alike cannabis products pose a unique health threat to children, who may unknowingly ingest high doses of potent psychoactive chemicals, Tong said. In the regulated adult-use market, edible cannabis products may only be sold in containers that contain a maximum of 100 milligrams of total THC and 5 milligrams of total THC per serving size. Children who accidentally eat an entire snack-sized bag of “chips” or “candy” may be exposed to more than 100 times the maximum adult serving.

Despite that, Tong said the sale of illegal delta-8 and delta-9 cannabis products and other high THC cannabis products continues in Connecticut. In unannounced visits to vape shops and gas stations, he said investigators from the Office of the Attorney General and the DCP continue to routinely find illegal cannabis products for sale, including edibles, blunts and marijuana flower. Previously widespread, edibles mimicking popular youth-oriented snack foods, including Fritos, Skittles and Airheads are less common in Connecticut stores following sustained enforcement and public education efforts by the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Consumer Protection. These products may still be circulating, including online and in other states, and should be reported if found and kept away from children.

Since 2021, the Connecticut Poison Control Center reported that it has received hundreds of calls regarding cannabis exposure in children, including children under the age of 6 exposed to cannabis edibles. The majority of those cases required treatment at a heath care facility.

The Office of the Attorney General has 10 pending enforcement actions and has secured judgments against four additional Connecticut retailers totaling $40,000 for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act over the sale of illegal delta-8 THC products. A portion of the payments will be suspended if the retailers comply with terms of the judgment, including ceasing all sales of illegal cannabis. Additional investigations are active and ongoing.

Dr. Deepak Cyril D’Souza, a professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, said there are several things parents should be concerned about if kids end up getting their hands on these cannabis products.

“The biggest concern is on the mental health of children. They can have a panic attack, they can have a psychotic episode,” said Dr. D’Souza. “There’s pretty good research that suggests exposure to cannabis during critical phases of brain development during adolescence can lead to long-term consequences.”

He said addiction is another major concern.

“The earlier that you’re exposed to cannabis, the greater the likelihood of you getting addicted to it. That’s the case with most drugs of abuse, and we don’t have any treatments for cannabis addiction yet,” said Dr. D’Souza.

Souza said researchers are currently working on a cannabis antidote.