Minnesota Sues THC Company After Edibles Sickened Teens

CLAY COUNTY, MN — State authorities are suing a northern Minnesota company accused of violating laws that regulate the THC levels and marketing of edibles. The edibles caused people to fall ill, according to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy, which is seeking to destroy $7 million worth of the company’s products.

The board announced Monday it had filed a lawsuit in Clay County against Northland Vapor Co., alleging the business, which has locations in Moorhead and Bemidji, sold edibles containing amounts of THC that far exceeded the legal limit of 5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per package.

“As consumers navigate the market, they should be aware of the amount of THC in each serving,” Jill Phillips, executive director of the Board of Pharmacy, said in a news release.“These companies far exceeded those limits and did so in a type of product historically marketed to children.”

The board claimed the company’s products resembled “a fictional bear” as well as the common gummy bear, both of which appeal to children, thereby violating state law, according to the news release. In addition, Northland Vapor failed to provide the board with required test results for pesticides, heavy metals and solvents, the news release said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration received complaints of “serious adverse events” associated with the company’s Death by Gummy Bears product, including a fatality, although the agency has not determined that the bears were to blame, according to the news release. Five Iowa teens became sick in October after eating the bears, suffering nausea, vomiting, anxiety, paranoia, tremors, rapid heart rate and breathing trouble, the Star Tribune reported.

Investigators found Northland Vapor had made packages of edibles containing 50 times the amount of THC permitted by law, according to the news release, which said the board embargoed an estimated $7 million worth of the company's non-compliant products and is seeking a court order to destroy them. The agency is also requesting an order to stop the company from making and selling items that violate state law, including its Death by Gummy Bears and Wonky Weeds products.

Northland Vapor did not respond Monday to a request from the Tribune for comment.

Anyone who suffers serious side effects from Northland Vapor’s products is instructed by the board to call 911 and contact poison control at 1-800-222-1222. If a child consumes the products, seek assistance immediately regardless of symptoms.