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‘Reefer Cup’ madness? Hershey sues medical marijuana dispensary

Posted at 4:16 PM, Jun 06, 2014
and last updated 2014-06-06 16:16:47-04

Seattle, Wash.  -- Hershey Chocolate is suing a medical marijuana dispensary in Seattle for selling a product called Reefer's Cup, because the candy company says it is too similar.

The Conscious Care Cooperative also sells a product the Mr. Dankbar, which Hershey says resembles the famous Mr. Goodbar.

“So far right now we have no comments on it,” an employee inside Conscious Care said. She did add that they sold out of those candies months ago.

“It's not even our product. It's just something that we carry. So it's a vendor. It's not us.”

The Hershey Company spokesperson said this could cause confusion and tarnish the brand.

"These unauthorized uses of Hershey’s trademarks also make the products more appealing to children," said the spokesperson.

On the Conscious Care Cooperative site, there are snacks that look like Goldfish, Gummy Bears , and Rice Krispies treats.

Connor Von Difloe says he's been fooled by the sight of friends eating pot candy.

“I’ve seen them eating chocolate. I'm like, 'oh, what are you eating?' They're like; it's a marijuana chocolate bar. I'm like, oh,” said Von Difloe.

Down the block, the manager of another medical marijuana dispensary said brand knock-offs are common in the business.

“Whether or not is has a physiological effect, or benefits the patients necessarily, but because it's familiar, it's another way to make money,” he said. And he said with recreational marijuana businesses starting up he sees this lawsuit as only the beginning of the problem.

We found other pot products online and in some stores that look a lot like well-known brands.

We reached out to some of those food companies, and Pepperidge Farm told us they had no idea there were pot-infused goldfish crackers. A spokesperson told me they would ask the dispensary to stop selling those.