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  5. FDA Warns Consumers About the Accidental Ingestion by Children of Food Products Containing THC
  1. Alerts, Advisories & Safety Information

FDA Warns Consumers About the Accidental Ingestion by Children of Food Products Containing THC

May 13, 2022

Audience

  • All consumers

What is the problem?

  • Edible products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be easily mistaken for commonly consumed foods such as breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies, and accidentally ingested.  

  • Accidental ingestion of these products can lead to serious adverse events, especially in children.

  • Some edible products are designed to mimic the appearance of well-known branded foods by using similar brand names, logos, or pictures on their packaging. These copycats are easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods that appeal to children.

  • The FDA is aware of reports of copycat products packaged to look like Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, and Trix, among others.

Examples of Products

Food Products Containing THC - Sample Product Images

Who is at risk?

The FDA is advising consumers about the risk of accidental ingestion, especially by children, of edible products that contain THC.  Accidental ingestion of these edible products may cause serious adverse events.

Summary of Problem and Scope

Some manufacturers are packaging and labeling edible products containing THC to look like popular brands of commonly consumed foods, such as breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies. These products appeal to children and may be easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods.

The FDA is aware of multiple media reports describing children and adults who accidentally consumed copycat edible products containing THC and experienced adverse events. Additionally, from January 2021 through April 24, 2022, the FDA received over 100 adverse event reports related to children and adults who consumed edible products containing THC. Some individuals who ate these edible products reportedly experienced adverse events such as hallucinations, increased heart rate and vomiting, and many required medical intervention or hospital admission. Seven of the reports specifically mention the edible product to be a copycat of popular foods, such as Cocoa Pebbles, Nerds Rope, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and Starburst.

FDA Actions

The FDA is actively working with federal and state partners to further address the concerns related to these products and monitoring the market for adverse events, product complaints, and other emerging cannabis-derived products of potential concern.

Recommendations for Consumers

  • Call 9-1-1 or get emergency medical help right away if you or someone in your care has serious side effects from these products. Always keep these products in a safe place out of reach of children.
  • Call the local poison control center (1-800-222-1222) if a child has consumed these products. Do not wait for symptoms to call.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you or someone in your care recently ingested these products and you have health concerns.

How to report complaints and adverse events:

Health care professionals, patients and consumers are encouraged to report complaints and cases of exposure and adverse events to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

Visit www.fda.gov/fcic for additional consumer and industry assistance.

For More Information

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