Illegal Drug Ingredients Advertised Online: Authorities Crack Down on Numerous Violations

A large number of misleading advertisements for ordinary food products that display the names or content of illegal drug ingredients have been caught online.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced today (July 7) that it had identified 60 cases of violations, including food products labeled with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an illegal drug component, and has requested that access to these sites be blocked and administrative measures be taken.
Looking at the specific violations, 38 cases involved advertisements that could lead consumers to mistake the products for medicine by displaying "cannabinoid," a pharmaceutical ingredient. Additionally, 11 cases involved deceptive advertisements that misled consumers through testimonials mentioning THC.
There were also 8 cases of advertisements that caused confusion with health functional foods by using terms such as "sleep" or "hemp seed diet," and 3 cases of advertisements that could create the impression that the products have efficacy in preventing or treating diseases.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has taken measures to ensure on-site inspections are conducted for 26 companies that have repeatedly violated regulations.
An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "Even if trace amounts of illegal drug ingredients, which should not be included in food, exist naturally, advertisements indicating the name or content of such ingredients are prohibited." The official added that the ministry plans to conduct intensive inspections of video advertisements using artificial intelligence (AI) later this month.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety continues to monitor advertisements that promote ordinary food products in a way that leads consumers to mistake them for health functional foods or medicines.
(Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.