A 4-year-old died from ‘gas station weed.’ Don’t let Congress save the industry

Published July 31, 2026 8:00am ET



In May 2022, a 4-year-old named Tanner Clements got into a jar of gummies at a home outside Fredericksburg, Virginia. His mother had bought them over the counter at a shop, believing they were CBD. Tanner overdosed, and Virginia’s chief medical examiner ruled the cause of death delta-8 THC toxicity. 

Last year, after tireless leadership from officials like Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Congress banned the kinds of drugs that killed him. Now, it is considering a rollback in the upcoming continuing resolution. Lives are at stake. Congress should keep the law exactly as it wrote it. 

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