HARTFORD, Conn. — Attorney General William Tong is alerting the public of the dangers cannabis edibles can have on kids, especially illegal and unregulated products that look like well-known snacks and candy.
This warning comes as Halloween and trick-or-treating are just days away.
AG Tong said that these look-alike products contain large amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive part of cannabis.
The state's regulated adult serving size of an edible contains five milligrams of THC, and a multiple-serving package of an edible cannabis product should not contain more than 100 milligrams of total THC.
Regulators have come across illegal products that contained as much as 600 milligrams of THC.
"The amount of THC in some of these edible products is really, really high for an adult, it's astronomically high for a child," said Suzanne Doyon, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the CT Poison Control Center.
Calls for services related to young children ingesting cannabis products are on the rise, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Around 2,622 calls have been made nationwide so far in 2021. In Connecticut, 58 calls regarding child exposure to edible marijuana were made in the first seven months of 2021.
Children could overdose from consuming THC. Symptoms for any THC overdose include respiratory distress, loss of coordination, lethargy, and loss of consciousness.
AG Tong said that youth could be obtaining these edibles at school and online through networks similar to how teens would get bootleg Juul vape products. There is also a possibility that kids are getting these products from across state lines, AG Tong said.
The packaging is not supposed to look like everyday foods, according to consumer officials. For now-legal and regulated cannabis edible products, the state's Department of Consumer Protection mandates that all packaging must be plain, black and white, and childproof in order to prevent deception.
The possession of cannabis products became legal in Connecticut earlier this year, and the state aims to launch the retail sale of cannabis products in CT by the end of 2022.
"We will take action against anybody who sells these illegal products here in Connecticut - criminal and civil," Attorney General Tong said. "And we want to make sure that parents, teachers and caregivers know that this is out there."
The Attorney General encourages anyone who encounters a look-like cannabis edible product to file a consumer complaint.
If a child has eaten a product containing high amounts of THC and becomes sick, call the Connecticut Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
