GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana’s Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has issued a public health alert following the seizure of multiple cannabis vape cartridges on Thursday, identifying them as a high-risk emerging threat particularly targeting minors. The agency revealed these THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) cartridges potentially contain poisonous chemical additives that pose serious health dangers.
CANU officials emphasized that these illicit vaping products expose users to dangerously high concentrations of THC alongside unknown chemical compounds, creating significant short-term and long-term health hazards. The seizure operation uncovered multiple branded THC cannabis vapes that represent an alarming shift toward importing high-potency cannabis concentrates disguised as consumer vaping products.
Notably, the confiscated items feature colorful, professionally printed packaging specifically designed to appeal to younger demographics, raising concerns about rapid proliferation among youth populations if circulation remains unchecked. The chemical composition and potential contaminants remain unknown, with samples currently earmarked for comprehensive laboratory analysis.
CANU clarified that under Guyana’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, Cap 10:10, these substances remain completely illegal regardless of packaging, branding, or foreign “medical use” labels. The legislation explicitly classifies cannabis and its derivatives—including the cannabis plant, resin, extracts, tinctures, THC, and any THC-containing products—as controlled substances. This prohibition specifically encompasses live resin and THC vape oil as banned cannabis resins and extracts.
The agency stressed that possession, trafficking, importation, or sale of these products violates Guyanese law, and the “medical use only” labels hold no legal standing within the country. None of these labels correspond to approvals from the Guyana Food and Drug Department, local licensing authorities, Guyana Forensics Laboratory testing, or any legal cannabis framework in Guyana.
CANU’s early warning system actively monitors trends, packaging styles, chemical profiles, and trafficking patterns associated with concentrated cannabis products. Once flagged, this system generates alerts, provides guidance to frontline officers, and contributes actionable intelligence to national enforcement operations.