STOUGHTON, Wis. — Pizza inadvertently laced with THC reportedly sickened dozens of people in Wisconsin.
Health officials in Dane County said Famous Yeti’s Pizza in Stoughton, about 20 miles southeast of Madison, served pizza contaminated with THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, from Monday, Oct. 22 through Thursday, Oct. 24.
Officials have been collecting more information, in part, through a questionnaire for those who ate at the restaurant during the time period of contamination. More than 60 people who ate at Famous Yeti's Pizza during that time have completed it so far.
Through that and other conversations, officials have discovered that other foods besides pizza were contaminated, too. Officials said THC was also added to “grinder sandwiches,” garlic bread and cheese bread for “crunch.”
An updated count released by health officials showed more than 25 people went to the emergency room for symptoms; fewer than five were hospitalized for one night with symptoms. The report also showed that children as young as 1-year-old were affected.
A full tally of those who were affected will be available in a final report, they said.
The officials said a restaurant cook ran out of oil, went into a shared commercial kitchen in the same building and mistakenly took a jug of oil off a shelf that contained Delta-9, a form of THC.
Famous Yeti’s Pizza co-owner Cale Ryan told the Wisconsin State Journal that the cook simply grabbed the wrong oil. One batch of dough, which can make 60 pizzas, was contaminated, he said. He’s heard from about 20 customers who were affected, he said.
“They get really stoned,” he said. “They get intoxicated from the THC, so I think it’s more alarming than anything to feel that way. It’s basically eating an edible, but without knowing.”
Marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, but products such as THC derived from the hemp plant are legal. Health officials said the oil in question can be used to make everything from cookies to condiments. After an investigation of the restaurant on Oct. 24, officials said they will not be issuing a citation for the business. They said that’s because they can’t “issue citations for sale or distribution for hemp-derived products to minors.”
Due to the unique circumstances of this case, officials also said, “written orders were unnecessary.”
THC-related symptoms can include dizziness, increased blood pressure, vomiting, anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations.