Wisconsin public health officials are urging customers who bought pizza from a local restaurant this week to throw it out, after the pizzas were found to have been contaminated with THC.
According to a press release from the Stoughton Police Department, near Madison, a number of people reported that they had become ill or felt high after they ate pizza from Famous Yeti’s Pizza on Friday, Oct. 25.
“Based upon statements from the owner of Famous Yeti’s Pizza, they share a kitchen with Turtle Crossing Cannabis, a company that bakes Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC infused items,” police said in the release. “An employee of Famous Yeti’s Pizza inadvertently used THC infused oil while making the pizza dough used to make the pizzas.”
After an initial investigation, police reported that all of the contaminated pizzas had been purchased between Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Thursday, Oct. 24.
Public Health Madison & Dane County released its own statement on Friday, advising people who purchased a pizza from the local restaurant to throw it out.
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“We want to be sure anyone who has this pizza on hand throws it away so they don’t get sick,” said Bonnie Armstrong, Director of Environmental Health at Public Health Madison & Dane County. “If you ate the pizza and are experiencing THC-related symptoms, please contact your health care provider or call 911 if your symptoms worsen.”
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, THC is a chemical compound found within cannabis. Public Health Madison & Dane County detailed in its release that those who ingested the pizza may experience dizziness, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia, hallucinations, short-term memory problems, time distortion or sleepiness.
Famous Yeti’s Pizza owner Cale Ryan issued a statement about the incident on Facebook, writing that the business “made a horrendous mistake and in doing so compromised the trust and love that we have spent 12 and half years building with this amazing town.”
“We put people and families at risk and frightened and confused children and parents. We have been communicating with some folks who have been affected and please know you have our sympathy and our support,” the statement continued in part. “This is incredibly serious to us, and we can’t imagine anything worse than betraying the faith that our customers have in us to provide a product made with utmost care and without concern.”
“We have sought out all the info we can from the Health Department and the Police Department and are following all their suggestions and requirements to deter something like this from happening ever again,” the restaurant’s statement said. “We are taking today, Friday the 25th, to deep clean the restaurant, purge all previous product that could have possibly come in contact, and prepping with all new ingredients.”
Ryan added that he took responsibility as the restaurant’s owner, and that Famous Yeti’s would be reopening for its usual business hours on Saturday, Oct. 26.
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According to the health department, investigators are now looking into the kitchen where the pizzas were cooked.
“Public Health sanitarians are currently investigating the space in conjunction with Stoughton Police and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,” the department’s release stated.
Stoughton Police and Public Health Madison & Dane County encouraged anyone with further information or who purchased the contaminated pizzas to reach out, and also to fill out a questionnaire available at publichealthmdc.com.
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