HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - State officials are warning parents about edible cannabis products that look like well-known snacks and candies as Connecticut sees an increase in marijuana edible exposures among kids.
"We have seen an uptick in marijuana edible exposures, ingestions, poisonings, and overdoses in the state of Connecticut," Medical Director Dr. Suzanne Doyon of the Connecticut Poison Control Center said.
It's likely that this problem will get a little bit worse as more aspects of the recreational marijuana legislation are implemented, she said, based on the experience of other states.
The look-alike packaging can trick adults or kids into picking up what may look like a bag of Doritos or a packet of Sour Patch Kids but is actually a snack filled with more THC than the legal limit, Attorney General William Tong said.
Tong offered an example of a bag of Cheetos Puffs that had 600 mg of THC in a bag, which is six times the legal amount.
"If a child were to eat the entire bag of something like that, he or she would be consuming 120 times the maximum legal adult serving," Tong said.
Young children that are exposed to large amounts of THC can get seriously impaired, Doyon explained, requiring admission into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Over half of the children who are exposed to edibles are admitted into the pediatric ICU in Connecticut, according to Doyon.
The Attorney General's office is working to investigate the sales of these deceptive products, while the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) works to prevent these deceptive products from showing up on Connecticut shelves.
DCP is developing packaging requirements to prevent deceptive and confusing edible cannabis products once retail sales are established in Connecticut.
For example, the state will require edible cannabis products to have white packaging with black text to avoid colorful displays that can attract children, DCP Commissioner Michelle Seagull said.
The packaging should also include a symbol indicating that the product contains THC, a warning about the negative effects of cannabis and a symbol signifying that the product is meant for people aged 21 and over, she said, among other policies.
The state is still aiming for marijuana retail sales to be set up by the end of 2022, according to Seagull.