Special to IFN

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson is reminding North Carolinians to be careful they’re not buying or handing out THC-infused products that look like candy on Halloween.

“We’re not trying to alarm or worry parents,” Jackson said. “There’s every reason to believe your kids will have a happy Halloween and a stash of safe candy to dig into. But scan the labels and keep an eye out for any odd packaging just in case.”

Hemp-derived THC products including delta-8, delta-10, THC-O, and others, are unregulated and available for people, even kids, to buy in gas stations, convenience stores, and online retailers.

These products don’t have consistent age restrictions, label standards, or safety requirements, and may be packaged to resemble candy and snack food brands popular with children. In some states, poison control centers have reported alarming increases in child exposures to these substances.

Products can have serious side effects for children. Parents should watch out for hallucinations, vomiting, tremor, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and even a loss of consciousness. If you have concerns, call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital.

Jackson has supported both state and federal protections to keep kids safe from these products. In June, he spoke in support of a state bill that would ban some hemp products and the sale of some THC drinks and gummies to people under the age of 21. Earlier this month, he and a bipartisan group of 38 attorneys general asked Congress to clarify the federal definition of “hemp” to prevent the sale of unregulated products.