Denver health and licensing officials are sounding the alarm after routine tests revealed that Polkadot-branded chocolate bars sold at gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores contained undisclosed psychedelic compounds. The bars looked like everyday candy, but city staff say they were hiding psychoactive ingredients that could be especially risky for children or for anyone taking medication. The advisory urges shoppers to be cautious and to report suspicious products so inspectors can track them down.
According to The Denver Post, Denver’s Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection tested Polkadot chocolate bars and found psilocybin and psilocin along with synthetic hallucinogens, including 4-AcO-DET, 4-HO-DET, and 4-HO-MET. Inspectors bought the bars from local retailers during routine visits and issued a consumer alert once lab results confirmed the drugs.
State Law: Decriminalized Use, Not Retail Sales
Colorado’s 2022 Natural Medicine ballot measure decriminalized personal possession, cultivation, and sharing of certain “natural medicines,” but it did not legalize commercial storefront sales of psilocybin. As CPR explains, the state is working on a regulated access program, which is very different from letting shops sell psychedelic products over the counter.
Where Products Were Found
Through its testing program, the city bought Polkadot bars from King’s Smoke and Vape, Myxed Up Creations, and Broadway Smoke Shop. Packaging photos showed the chocolate marketed as a “mushroom blend” featuring non-psychoactive varieties such as turkey tail, reishi, lion’s mane, and cordyceps. The Denver Post reports that Denver officials flagged those stores after confirming the bars contained controlled substances.
Health Risks and the Bigger Picture
Unlabeled edibles are especially worrisome because they look like regular candy and can deliver unpredictable doses or hidden chemicals, raising the risk of severe reactions. Federal agencies previously investigated a 2024 outbreak tied to Diamond Shruumz chocolate that led to dozens of illnesses and multiple hospitalizations. The CDC and the FDA have both warned consumers to steer clear of similarly marketed mushroom edibles, with reported symptoms including seizures, hospitalizations, and other serious effects.
What To Do If You Find Polkadot Products
Denver’s advisory urges consumers not to buy Polkadot items and asks anyone who sees the product for sale to report it through the city’s consumer protection portal or by calling 311 so inspectors can investigate. Retailers are being told to pull suspect mushroom-branded edibles from their shelves and cooperate with inspections to avoid enforcement trouble. For instructions or to file a complaint, visit the City of Denver.
Legal Consequences for Retailers
City officials stress that selling psilocybin products is still illegal and can bring enforcement actions, including fines and possible license revocation for businesses that offer them. Denver has previously tested mushroom-marketed chocolates and sent letters to licensed retailers reminding them that selling those items is prohibited, following similar findings last summer. That earlier round of testing and outreach was covered by The Denver Gazette.
Officials say they plan to continue random testing and retailer outreach as Colorado builds its regulated access framework. In the meantime, the city is urging shoppers to treat mushroom-marketed candies with skepticism and to report questionable products so they can be pulled from store shelves.
