Dozens sickened after eating THC-contaminated food at Wisconsin pizzeria
Famous Yeti's Pizza, a pizzeria in Stoughton, Wisconsin, is located in a building with a shared kitchen used by a state-licensed vendor who produced edible THC products, the CDC said.
While preparing food in October 2024, the pizzeria ran out of cooking oil and used what employees believed was plain canola oil from the shared kitchen, the CDC said. In reality, they had used "THC-infused oil" to prepare dough that was used in pizza, garlic bread, cheese bread and some sandwiches. The contaminated food was sold between Oct. 22 and Oct. 24, Madison and Dane County public health officials said at the time.
Officials became aware of the situation when emergency services reported taking seven people to local hospitals for symptoms including dizziness, sleepiness and anxiety. All seven people reported eating food from the pizzeria. One person reported receiving a positive THC test result without having knowingly consumed the substance, the CDC said.
Public health officials began an investigation and shared a news release highlighting the situation, asking anyone who had eaten in the restaurant recently to fill out a questionnaire. Of 107 valid responses, 85 people said they had eaten the contaminated products and reported at least one symptom of THC intoxication that began within five hours of eating the food. Public health officials also put out a news release telling people not to eat leftover food purchased at the pizzeria between Oct. 22 and 24.
THC intoxication symptoms include dizziness, sleepiness, anxiety, time distortion, increased heart rate, nausea, paranoia, panic attacks, increased blood pressure, vomiting and hallucinations, the CDC said. A person's short-term memory could also be affected by THC intoxication.
The people who had experienced THC intoxication ranged in age from 1 to 91, according to the CDC. Thirty-three of them said they contacted a health care provider because of their symptoms. Fifteen people said they received a positive result for THC.
The CDC said that when the restaurant owner was contacted by local public health officials, they agreed to close the restaurant immediately. The restaurant owner also informed health officials that the restaurant had used oil from the shared kitchen, and said they later realized that the oil might have been infused with THC. The CDC did not say when the restaurant owner realized the restaurant might have used THC oil.
The oil tested positive for THC. Police were informed and investigated the incident, but no charges were filed because the investigation found the situation was unintentional, the CDC said. The restaurant reopened on Oct. 26.
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