Police confiscated thousands of illegal delta-8 THC and other high-THC cannabis products for sale at three Stamford, Connecticut, vape shops. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said he will take legal action against the shops—Zaza Smoke Shop 2, Breeze Smokeshop and Worlds Exotic Smoke Shop—for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The confiscation stemmed from an investigation in March from the Office of the Attorney General and the Stamford Police Department, who inspected the vape shops. At one shop, investigators found a fake electrical panel with a hidden drawer containing flower marijuana, other illicit drugs, wads of cash and a leger, Tong said. At another shop, THC products were stashed above ceiling tiles.
Many of the seized products mimicked youth-oriented snack foods, Tong said.
“My message to retailers is clear—if you continue to sell unregulated, untested, illegal cannabis, I will hold you accountable,” he said. “Fake Oreos, Cheetos, and Sour Patch Kids packed with THC put kids in danger and are not legal anywhere in Connecticut.”
Products that exceed 0.3% THC on a dry weight, including delta-8 THC, are considered cannabis, Tong said. These products may only be sold in the regulated market and must meet rigorous testing and packaging requirements.
Undercover visits to vape shops and gas stations earlier this year also resulted in several warnings and lawsuits from Tong’s office, which remain pending, he said.
The Food and Drug Administration has also warned of these look-alike products, which are posing as common candy items but containing THC.
Delta-8 THC is one of more than 100 cannabinoids produced in the cannabis sativa plant, but is not found naturally in significant amounts, according to the FDA. Concentrated amounts of delta-8 THC are typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) and have psychoactive and intoxicating effects.
There are no FDA-approved drugs containing delta-8 THC, and the agency has not evaluated whether these drugs are effective for the uses manufactures claim, what an appropriate dose might be, how they could interact with FDA-approved drugs or other products or whether they have dangerous side effects or other safety concerns, the FDA has said.
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