RICHMOND, Va. - Copycat THC products will soon be illegal in Virginia, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced during a Wednesday press conference.
Miyares and 21 other attorneys general submitted a bipartisan letter to Congress urging them to take action regarding copycat THC products designed to look like popular snack items like Oreos, Doritos and Cheetos. According to Miyares' office, these look-alike products are often unintentionally given to children or mistaken by children for the brand-name snack products, resulting in children ingesting large amounts of THC.
On June 16, the FDA issued a warning that between January 1, 2022 and May 31, 2022, the National Poison Control Center received 10,448 single substance exposure cases involving edible products containing THC. Of these cases, 77% involved patients 19 years of age or younger.
“As THC infused edibles become commonplace, some distributors have started advertising their products to look like popular candy and snack items," Miyares said. "Their deceiving appearance and packaging can confuse young children who come across them and has led to an increase in accidental consumption, putting their health at risk. To address this growing issue, I’m urging Congress, with a bipartisan coalition, for a comprehensive legislative solution."
Violators of the new law banning these products will face steep fines beginning July 1.
According to Miyares' office, the attorneys general stated that "while they do not all agree on the best regulatory scheme for cannabis and THC, they all agree on one thing: copycat THC edibles pose a grave risk to the health, safety, and welfare of our children."
The attorneys general also called for Congress to immediately enact legislation authorizing trademark holders of consumer packaged goods to hold the companies marking copycat THC edibles accountable.
