HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — State officials are warning parents about illegal look-alike cannabis edibles ahead of Halloween. 

The products designed to look like well-known snack foods and candy are unregulated even when the sale of recreational marijuana begins in Connecticut next year. 

Examples of some of these products, which were confiscated by law enforcement, are pictured below:

If a child were to eat the entire bag, they would be consuming 120 times the maximum legal adult serving, Attorney General William Tong said at a press conference Tuesday.

Sellers of illegal cannabis edibles may be subject to legal action and substantial civil penalties under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Calls to poison control hotlines regarding pediatric exposure to marijuana edibles have increased significantly over the past year, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

In the first nine months of 2020, 80% of calls related to marijuana edibles to the Poison Control Center were for pediatric exposure. In the first half of 2021 alone, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reports poison control hotline calls have received an estimated 2,622 calls for services related to young children ingesting cannabis products. The Connecticut Poison Control Center received 88 calls in 2020 regarding child exposure to edible marijuana, and 58 calls in the first seven months of 2021.

Symptoms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) overdose include respiratory distress, loss of coordination, lethargy, and loss of consciousness. 

If you suspect your child has consumed something containing high amounts of THC and become sick, call the Connecticut Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Consumers who encounter look-alike cannabis edible products are encouraged to file a consumer complaint with the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General here.