Attorney General Cameron Urges Congress To Protect Children From THC Copycat Products

“Parents should not have to worry about their child reaching for what they think is a well-known snack, and instead consuming THC,”

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 23, 2022) – Attorney General Daniel Cameron today urged Congress to protect children from copycat THC edible products. The products are designed to look like popular snack items and have led to accidental THC consumption in children.  

These copycat products are easily mistaken by children for name brand snacks such as Oreo cookies, Doritos chips, Cheetos, NERDs, and other products. As a result, children are accidentally ingesting THC.

“Parents should not have to worry about their child reaching for what they think is a well-known snack, and instead consuming THC,” said Attorney General Cameron.  “These products pose a grave threat to children, and we are urging Congress to enact policy that will hold accountable the companies that market these copycat products.”

On June 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning stating that between January 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022, National Poison Control Centers received 10,448 single substance exposure cases involving only edible products containing THC. Of these cases, 77 percent involved patients 19 years of age or younger. 

In a letter to Congress, attorneys general from 23 states explains that copycat THC edibles threaten the health, safety, and welfare of children. The coalition urges Congress to immediately enact legislation authorizing trademark holders of well-known and trusted consumer packaged goods to hold accountable those malicious actors who are marketing illicit copycat THC edibles to children. 

Attorney General Cameron joined attorneys general from Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, Utah, and Washington in signing the letter. 

To read the letter, which includes photos of the copycat products, click here.