Thousands of dollars’ worth of counterfeit candy and snack foods laced with THC—including imitations of brands such as Skittles and Cheetos—have been confiscated from gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops in North Carolina.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Authorities confiscated nearly $224,000 worth of THC-infused snacks concealed by popular brand names marketed to children.
Counterfeit Trademark Enforcement agents with the state office, along with the North Carolina Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force, worked with local authorities to seize the products, which, in addition to Skittles and Cheetos, also included THC-infused imitations of Lifesavers and Girl Scout cookies.
“Our agents launched this coordinated enforcement effort after seeing a growing trend of THC-infused gummies and snacks concealed in packaging counterfeiting popular snack brands marketed to children. These are brands that kids can easily pick up and consume without knowing what’s really in it,” North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall said in a press release on Thursday.
Marshall referenced an incident earlier in 2022 when a 4-year-old boy in Virginia died after eating THC-infused gummies, adding that “the fact that so many of these products were counterfeiting brands geared toward kids is very troubling.”
According to a press release from the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, a Spotsylvania County Grand Jury indicted the mother for the death of her son that occurred on May 8, 2022.
It was reported that the child suffered from a high toxicity level of THC.
However, the child’s death caused by THC is in dispute because physicians are still on the fence as to whether a human can in fact die directly from marijuana alone.
Medical experts agree that the drug can have negative health consequences while simultaneously being beneficial for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and terminal illnesses that require nausea-inducing medications, but there have been no conclusive reports on THC being the direct cause of death.
According to the North Carolina authorities, the packaging on the THC edibles included markings indicating that the snacks contained THC. However, Marshall said those markings could easily be overlooked.
A total of 23 search warrants and 30 consent searches led to the counterfeit products being removed from a variety of establishments in eastern North Carolina.
Before Halloween—a concern for authorities regarding the potential for mistaken purchases leading to young trick-or-treaters ingesting THC—police in Roxboro, North Carolina, seized 145 counterfeit products imitating Nerds, Sour Patch Kids, Oreos, and even Cocoa Puffs cereal.
No Arrests
A spokesperson for the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office told The Epoch Times that there were no arrests because it was an educational enforcement sweep.The merchants told law enforcement that they weren’t aware the products were counterfeited.
“The individuals were given warnings with the understanding that our agents, along with local task force agents, will be checking back in on them,” the spokesperson said.
Products with THC derived from hemp plants are legal in North Carolina, provided the THC concentrations do not exceed 0.3 percent. As a result, North Carolina residents can legally purchase THC products from online retailers or local stores.
“A significant health concern behind this is that even though adults who are making these purchases know what they are buying, children could be attracted to the packaging, not knowing that the products contain THC,” the spokesperson said.
