Montco officials investigating THC gummies laced with fentanyl
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Montgomery County officials are still investigating Monday after District Attorney Kevin R. Steele warned last week that THC and CBD edibles could contain controlled substances like fentanyl and heroin.
Officials tested more than 100 products seized through search warrants, and Steele said in a release that the presence of one or more controlled substances, including fentanyl and heroin, showed up in a "significant number" of Delta 8 THC gummies but not all of them.
Some of the products were tested in the lab over the weekend and they "did not alert to any illegal drugs at the lab's threshold level of detection," according to a release.
The products were tested by IONSCAN 600 instrument, which is used for drug detection through the United States.
According to a release, the IONSCAN 600 detects the presence of many types of illegal narcotics at small amounts, calibrated to detect to the .01 nanogram threshold.
Two overdoses have been linked to the Delta 8 THC brand, but the people have since recovered. The gummies that caused the overdoses appeared to contain fentanyl.
Steele said they don't have any "definitive answers" about the testing but warns the public needs to be aware of THC products that are produced in "an unregulated industry and in varying settings."
"Rather than identifying specific brands of Delta 8 THC gummies and edibles, it is more important for the public to know it is "buyer beware" in the world of Delta 8 edibles," Steele said in a release. "A toddler getting ahold of them and ingesting them or a teenager who eats a handful at once could be very dangerous, and we need the public to know that."
Steele said that his office will continue investigate, test and scan Delta 8 THC gummies.
Steele said that specific products linked to the overdoses were sold at three Tobacco Hut Stores in Montgomery County.
The manager of the Tobacco Hut stores told CBS News Philadelphia last week they were unaware that some of the products contained illegal drugs.
Steele said the stories have been "fully cooperative" with law enforcement during their investigation.
