Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is cracking down on the illegal sale of THC products.
He has sued five retailers for allegedly selling the drug in packaging attractive to children.
Tong said the products, called delta-8, are being packaged like snack foods.
In Connecticut, a product with more than .3% THC is considered cannabis and requires a license to sell. Only a handful of Connecticut retailers are licensed to sell delta-8 and other cannabis products.
The products must comply with strict regulations — including packaging that is not appealing to youth.
Tong is also sending warning letters to licensed retailers of electronic vaping products, warning them not to sell cannabis without a license.
“If you offer delta-8 THC products for sale in your establishment that exceed .3 percent THC on a dry weight basis and you do not hold such a license, you are in violation of Connecticut law," Tong wrote. "For your information, we have included below photographs of products that were recently purchased from retailers in Connecticut that purport to contain delta-8 THC. The sale of such products may expose you to criminal and civil liability. Please remove any such products from your shelves and dispose of them immediately."
Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said his party is committed to making recreational cannabis safe for users — and out of the hands of children.
"At the start of the year we submitted a variety of legislative proposals aimed at protecting residents—children in particular—as this rapidly evolving commercial landscape picks up steam," Candelora said. "We welcome Attorney General Tong's voice and actions in this work, and we hope that a combined effort this legislative session will produce stronger guardrails around cannabis use and sales here in Connecticut."
