Marshall Co. probation officer: more minors testing positive for Delta-8, THC-O

MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WAFF) - Authorities in Marshall County are seeing an increase in minors under the influence of legal hemp and opiates such as Delta-8, THC-O, and Fennabit.

Juvenile Probation Officer Chuck Knight says local smoke shops and gas stations are to blame.

“More and more kids are testing positive in our court and then they’re telling the judge and myself that they’re buying it at this place. And we’re hearing the same stores over and over,” says Knight.

According to Knight, store employees are contributing to the problem by failing to check I.D.s. This leads to potent but legal drugs being bought by juveniles.

King Vape and CBD employee Skylar Theriault say not checking I.D.s can lead to hefty fines for stores.

“We could face fines up to $1,500 but it can go farther beyond that. We don’t do underhanded tactics like that,” says Theriault.

Knight says some of these products are coming in enticing packaging and could contain a deadly drug sweeping the nation.

“It’s unregulated so we don’t know what’s in it exactly. A couple of different places in the country, they are finding fentanyl in these products,” says Knight. “A lot of these products are marketed to kids. They’re colorful. Most of them, they’re sold in candy bar form and gummy forms and if you don’t look very closely, you’ll think it’s gummy candies.”

Knight warns parents to be mindful of what their children are buying as most of these products are hidden in plain sight.

“Don’t assume it’s just nicotine. If you find gummies or anything like that you need to explore a little further. See what your son or daughter buys at the store and also check their bags regularly,” he said.

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