KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — The Knox County drug task force visited two stores across the county since March. It seized thousands of dollars worth of Delta-8 and Delta-10 products.
Complaints from Delta-8 buyers drove this new attention from a drug task force, according to the Knox County Sheriff's Office. The task force's top lieutenant said back in March, the task force went undercover to purchase products from a store that sparked complaints.
"We received citizen complaints over the past year, really," he said. "In the state of Tennessee, you can have a .3% level of Delta-9 THC. These tested well above that."
The popular brand called "Cake" is sold at gas stations across the state. Its THC concentration came back nearly 28 times the legal limit, at 8.4%.
"Until the FDA can say these items fall under a certain jurisdiction, our belief is all of them are illegal. We have tested around 30, and all 30 have been illegal. And these are over the counter in your gas stations, in your headshops," he said.
The drug task force is particularly concerned many of the products are packaged to look like candy and said they could be misleading to children.
"They are all geared toward kids. The boxes are just like cereal boxes. They look like they're flavored, they taste good. They take it to school and pass it around. Some kid who has never been exposed to this or has lung problems can have adverse effects," he said.
Out of the many Delta-8 products that were seized — three that are the same brand and advertise the same amount of TCH — each tested well over the legal limit. But all levels tested differently and one significantly higher than the other two at over 69% THC.
"The psychoactive feeling of the world closing in hits these kids and they don't understand what it is, so schools are having to call ambulances and parents are concerned so that's how we ended up here today," he said.
10News spoke to one store owner who was penalized for selling THC products with THC amounts above the legal limit. He said he purchased the products from a manufacturer and thought they were legal.
The owner said this incident will cost him more than $30,000 in attorney costs and merchandise seizure. He said he does not plan to continue selling Delta-8 products.
On Thursday the Knox County Drug Task Force conducted a search and seizure at My Canna Buds on Western Avenue. Deputies said two people were arrested and charges are pending the result of THC lab testing.