Attorneys general in several states issued warnings this week about cannabis products that look like normal snacks and candy. The warnings come amid a national trend of children accidentally consuming them and just days before Halloween.

“These look-alike cannabis products are unregulated, unsafe, and illegal,” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. “Accidental cannabis overdoses by children are increasing nationwide, and these products will only make this worse.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James said the cannabis edibles are “deceptively designed” to resemble standard treats. Instead, they contain high levels of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, which is the main compound found in marijuana. 

Tong cited a report from the American Association of Poison Control which found that in the first half of 2021, poison control hotlines received an estimated 2,622 calls for young children who consumed cannabis products. And in the first nine months of 2020, 80% of calls to the Poison Control Center were related to pediatric exposure of marijuana edibles. 

“Accidental cannabis overdoses by children are increasing nationwide, and these look-alike products will only exacerbate the danger by appealing to children and youth,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. 

Connecticut, New York and Illinois have legalized the adult recreational use of certain amounts of cannabis. Under Connecticut law, cannabis products cannot be sold under a brand name that is identical to or similar to an existing non-cannabis product. A single adult serving size for cannabis edibles under the state statute contains five milligrams of THC, and a multiple-serving package for cannabis edibles cannot contain more than 100 milligrams of total THC. 

The state attorneys general allege that some of the replicate snacks containing cannabis exceed even the maximum legal adult serving. 

“If a child were to eat the entire bag, he or she would be consuming 120 times the maximum legal adult serving,” Tong said in reference to a cannabis snack that resembled Cheetos Puffs and contained 600 milligrams of THC. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, edibles containing marijuana have a greater risk of poisoning people and can lead to serious injury, cause longer-lasting intoxicating effects and be unpredictable. THC from edibles can make children children “very sick,” and in certain instances require emergency room visits or hospitalization, the CDC said. 

Symptoms of a THC overdose include a loss of coordination, lethargy, respiratory distress and a loss of consciousness, according to Raoul. 

Tong advised parents to “take strong precautions to ensure that children do not have access to any products containing cannabis.”

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said those responsible for dispersing the illegal edibles in proximity to children “should reconsider how they choose to make profits.” He advised parents to “be extra cautious especially around Halloween, that these copycat products don’t wind up in treat bags.”

In Ohio, marijuana can only legally be sold for certain medical reasons to adults. In approved uses, a single serving of a cannabis edible contains 10 milligrams of THC and a package with multiple servings must contain less than 100 milligrams of total THC.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who issued a similar warning earlier this month, threatened legal action for the illegal sale of THC edibles in her state. 

“If anyone sells these products to Arkansans I will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” she said. “If you see these look-alike products for sale, report them to my office immediately.”