Just when thought it was all sweet, you find out its not.
The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, owned by candy mogul Mars Inc., filed lawsuits in May against five companies for selling cannabis-infused edibles that look like candy products, including Skittles, Starburst and Life Savers.
The lawsuits focus on image and intellectual property rights, but they also raised concerns about child safety.
A Mars Inc. spokeswoman told the New York Times the company is “deeply disturbed” by the products. Other candy companies, including the Hershey Company, Mondelez International and Ferrara Candy Company, have filed lawsuits in recent years, with most settled – usually with the smaller companies agreeing to halt production and sales of the offending products.
“The situation has become more and more egregious,” said Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association. “The cannabis companies cannot and should not be allowed to tarnish existing brands at will. It creates consumer confusion.”
Expect more of these type of lawsuits as more states move towards legalization.