CHARLOTTE — They’re called Stoneos, Stoned Patch Kids, Starbuds, and even Zkittles -- they look like Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst, and Skittles, but authorities in North Carolina say they’ll actually get you high.
The snacks look like the ones you’d stuff in your kid’s lunchbox, but according to the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office, they’re counterfeit products that contain THC.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is one of the compounds in cannabis that can get you high. Authorities are finding that more and more THC-infused edibles are being sold in North Carolina.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday, law enforcement ended up seizing about $170,000 worth of THC-infused snacks from stores around New Hanover County in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
While certain products containing THC are legal in North Carolina, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says they must contain less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis.
North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall is taking issue with the packaging on some of these products, saying that the markings “are deceptive and can easily be overlooked.”
“Many times, the labels feature a cartoon character or other images attractive to children,” said a statement, in part, from the Secretary of State’s Office.
“Halloween is a time when our children are consuming more candy and sweets, so it’s particularly important if parents have THC-infused products in their homes to lock them away like other medications or cleaning products,” Marshall said in the statement.
Authorities say the THC-infused snacks were seized from tobacco and vape stores as part of dozens of searches. Charges were filed in New Hanover County for Criminal Use of a Counterfeit Trademark, and Allowing Criminal Activity on Premises Holding an ABC Permit.
(WATCH: THC vapes seized from Burke County smoke shops)
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