OKEECHOBEE — On Oct. 13, members of the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force observed pre-packaged THC, higher than hemp levels, openly on display at a local convenience store in Okeechobee County. This store is not a licensed THC dispensary as required by law to sell these types of products within the state legally.

The store employees were cooperative and turned over 33 packages containing pre-rolled marijuana and THC in an edible form. The packages had ingredient labels claiming to be 100% hemp and less than 3% THC but they field-tested positive for THC higher than hemp-levels.

The labels appeared to be produced second-hand and not by the original manufacturer.

Delta-8, hemp, and other CBD based products are often sold in convenience stores. So the purchaser, who assumes or trusts the secondary hand homemade labels as to what is inside the product, must be careful and look beneath the label if covered up.

The Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel E. Stephen is forewarning all local stores that are openly displaying and selling these types of products need to remove them from the store and verify what they are selling is a legal and legit product and has the proper license for the retail of said product.

Parents, please be aware these types of products are circulating within our area, and please, pay attention to what our children are buying.