Minnesota regulators have been sued by a marijuana edibles company, alleging it was selling products 50 times more powerful than what the state permits.
In a civil complaint released Monday, state inspectors said Moorhead, Minn.-based Northland Vapor sold edible cannabinoid products that contained as much as 100 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol THC per serving, in packages containing a total of 2,500 milligrams of THC.
State law limits THC-based products to five milligrams per serving or 50 milligrams per package.
In connection with the state lawsuit, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received complaints about serious adverse events associated with Northland Vapor s Death by Gummy Bears Delta 8 THC products, including a death. The FDA hasn't determined whether the products caused the adverse events, the Minnesota regulators said.
The Board of Pharmacy, to protect the public, has been embargoed by the Board of Pharmacy, and is seeking an order from the court to destroy the non-compliant product, the complaint states.
The regulators said they were asking the court to stop Northland from manufacturing and selling edible cannabinoid products that are in violation of state law. The complaint states that the retail value of the products targeted for embargo exceeds $7 million.
Minnesota Public Radio reported that the Board of Pharmacy of Minnesota has investigated 46 complaints since a law allowing consumer THC product sales in the state went into effect in July. The station reported that this is the first time that it has gone to court to stop products from being sold. Experts said the high THC doses sold by Northland are intensely intoxicating and should be consumed with caution and intention. A lawyer for Northland said in a statement that the company is a small family-owned business with more than 60 employees and has been in operation for nearly a decade.
According to a statement, Northland tried to work with the state to make sure it was complying with state law, but said someone decided Northland should be made an example. The State s attempts to smear Northland's reputation and aggressive tactics go beyond belief, it said.