Many popular Mexican candies are being pulled from store shelves across the county after the Clark County Health District found they contained high levels of lead.

The district ordered stores, restaurants and other businesses to stop displaying and selling the candy and sent inspectors to remove the products from shelves.

Although lead-tainted candy imported from Mexico has been on the radar of health officials throughout the nation for several years, the county's move this week to order them off shelves was one of the first in the country.

Representatives from Clark and Washoe counties said they knew of no other health department in the United States to ban the sale of the candy.

"Vegas is leading the way here and has given us all across the nation a good boost," said Tracie Douglas, spokeswoman for the Washoe County Health Department.

The problem of lead-tainted candy gained national attention several years ago after an investigation by the Orange County Register. The newspaper tested popular candies from Mexico and found many of them had high lead content.

Lead can lead to a number of health problems, including diarrhea, vomiting, learning problems and lowered IQ. Young children are especially vulnerable because their bodies absorb lead more easily than adults.

A study by Washoe County health officials in 2004 found the same results, which led to a campaign to teach store owners about the health hazards and to urge owners to voluntarily stop selling the products.

About a year ago, the Clark County Health District began working with researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to conduct similar tests. The research by Dr. Shawn L. Gerstenberger, an associate professor at the UNLV School of Public Health, found high lead content in the candy and, in some cases, the wrappers and straws or sticks used to eat the candy.

As a result of the research, the health district ordered an end to sales of the following products: Any powders or salts made by Lucas, Tama Roca candy with straws from Mexico, any Mexican candy that contains chili, and Tamarind candy in glazed ceramic containers from Mexico.

"We're doing what we have to do here in Clark County," said Glenn Savage, the county's director of environmental health.

The health district sent letters about the ban to 1,600 local grocery stores and other businesses. Teams of inspectors have been visiting sites and pulling the problem candy from shelves. That process can be tedious because of the quantity of candy and mislabeled or confusing packaging, so Savage said he hoped stores would voluntarily remove the candy.

In the first few days since the ban, store owners had cooperated, he said.

Health officials plan to continue inspecting stores in coming weeks and will conduct follow-up inspections at least once a year.

If businesses continue selling the banned candy, they could face lawsuits or licensing sanctions, Savage said.