C.D.C. Ties 85 Cases of THC-Related Symptoms to Wisconsin Restaurant

OG Article By Alexandra E. PetriWatch Today's LIVE Episode on YouTube, X, and Rumble

July 28, 2025

The restaurant mistakenly used oil infused with THC, a psychoactive ingredient found in many cannabis products, in food preparation last year, the C.D.C. said.

Federal health officials warn of the possibility of “mass THC intoxication events” from food, in a report that explored how at least 85 people were sickened last year after eating at a restaurant that mistakenly used THC-infused oil to prepare dough.

The report, which was released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, documented cases that surfaced after patrons ate at the restaurant, Famous Yeti’s Pizza, in Stoughton, Wis.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive ingredient found in many cannabis products.

From Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 last year, dozens of people, up to 91 years old, experienced symptoms that included dizziness, sleepiness and anxiety, after eating pizza, garlic bread, cheese bread and sandwiches at Famous Yeti’s, the C.D.C. said.

The restaurant is in a building that shares a commercial kitchen with other businesses, including a state-licensed vendor that makes edible THC products.

An investigation began after local emergency services reported to public health officials on Oct. 24 that seven people were transported to a hospital for dizziness, sleepiness and anxiety since Oct. 22, according to the C.D.C.

All seven people had eaten at the same restaurant, the report said.

Carbon monoxide tests at the restaurant, as well as at the homes of two people who experienced symptoms, were negative, according to the C.D.C. report. All seven people were treated in an emergency department for THC intoxication, the C.D.C. said.

One of those people reported having eaten pizza at Famous Yeti’s the previous day and testing positive for THC without having knowingly consumed it, the C.D.C. said.

The owner of Famous Yeti’s told officials that it ran out of cooking oil on Oct. 22, 2024, and used oil — initially thought to be ordinary canola oil — from a shared commercial kitchen to prepare dough that was served to customers from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24.

According to self-reported results from a survey collected by health officials at the time, 47 of the people with symptoms were male, and 38 were female.

Thirty-three people self-reported that they had consulted with a health care provider (28 of them at a hospital emergency department and five elsewhere), and three were hospitalized for at least one night, the report said.

It was unclear if those figures included the seven that emergency services reported having transported to a hospital.

Eight of the 85 people who reported being affected were children and teenagers, none of whom were hospitalized.

A police investigation found that the contamination was unintentional, the C.D.C. said, and no charges were filed.

In October 2024, Famous Yeti’s apologized on its Facebook page. The restaurant said it was working with the authorities to improve storage and security protocols.

The restaurant, which had closed for several days because of the investigation, reopened on Oct. 26, 2024. Famous Yeti’s did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday.

The agency noted that shared commercial spaces between food businesses and those making THC products can “intentionally or unintentionally” increase the risk of exposure.

Regulations on proper storage and labeling of products containing THC can help reduce the chances of contamination.

“Clinicians and public health practitioners should be alert to the possibility of mass THC intoxication events via food,” the C.D.C. said in its report, citing sudden onsets of symptoms, including dizziness, sleepiness, anxiety, altered reality perception, increased heart rate and nausea, as possible signs.

By Alexandra E. Petri