The McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition has issued an alert warning about edible THC products that look like commonly consumed foods and could have adverse effects if ingested by children.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that some manufacturers are packaging and labeling edible products containing THC to look like popular brands of commonly consumed foods, such as breakfast cereal, candy and cookies.
The products appeal to children and may be easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods.
The McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition issued an alert on Friday after reviewing data from the McHenry County Department of Health showing possible poisoning cases involving the products.
The coalition said the community should be aware that the copycat-type items may not be legally for sale in Illinois but all cannabis items should be safely stored out of the reach of children.
All edibles should be clearly identified so any adult does not accidentally ingest them, the coalition said.
CBD items that are labeled “full-spectrum” can contain THC which may also lead to accidental poisoning when ingested.
The coalition said that Illinois cannabis regulations prohibit THC products from containing any images, characters or phrases likely to appeal to minors, such as images of toys, animals, children, and cartoons.
Packaging that bears resemblance to commercially available candy is also not legal.
The FDA says that accidental ingestion of the products can lead to “serious adverse events, especially in children.”
The FDA said they are aware of copycat products packaged to look like Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids and Trix.
Should a child consume the products, the FDA recommends that parents call the local poison control center at 800-222-1222.