Anchorage man arrested for illegally selling highly-concentrated marijuana products

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - An Anchorage man has been arrested for allegedly selling highly-concentrated marijuana products illegally.

According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Robert W. Ridenour, Jr., 51, is charged with misconduct involving a controlled substance in the fourth and fifth degrees. The first charge is a class C felony, the second a class A misdemeanor.

Prosecutors say Ridenour posted on an online sales page that he was selling “Strong herb candy” for $50. Undercover Marijuana Control officers bought bags of marijuana edibles from Ridenour multiple times.

The Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office says the edibles contained “exceedingly high” levels of THC, and that several of the packages contained more than 600 milligrams of THC per bag. Alaska’s legal limit for individual servings is 10 milligrams per serving and a maximum of 10 servings, or no more than 100 milligrams per bag. Some of the images shared by control office regarding the arrest indicated that some of the items allegedly sold by Ridenour contained 100 milligrams in a single serving — 10 times the state’s legal limit.

Some of the products Ridenour allegedly sold appeared similar to candy packaging, sporting names like “Cannaburst,” “High crawlers,” and “sour rings.” They also were decorated with cartoon imagery, according to the release, which is also illegal in the state. Alaska marijuana laws state that a container or package for edible marijuana products “may not have any printed images, including cartoon characters, that specifically target individuals under 21 years of age.”

The control office says Ridenour does not have a marijuana license or handler’s permit, and it does not appear that he ever tried to obtain one in Alaska. He does not have a criminal record in the state of Alaska.

The Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office warns that these products can be dangerous given their high THC levels and likely attractiveness to children. If anyone purchased these type of items from Ridenour or have them otherwise, the office wants to be contacted at amco.enforcement@alaska.gov.

AMCO Director Glen Klinkhart said there’s growing concern about these highly concentrated candy-appearing edibles, particularly around Halloween time.

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the name of the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office.

Copyright 2021 KTUU. All rights reserved.