Bags of candy and chips discovered by detectives in Michigan executing a search warrant have put a new spotlight on the risks associated with THC edibles this Halloween. Authorities are warning people to be careful about the products they consume.
Detectives from the Warren Police Department were searching a residence last Thursday when they found “several bags of chips, snacks, and candy that appeared to be in standard packaging,” a press release explained. A “closer examination revealed that many of these items contained THC, while others contained psilocybin mushroom products.”
“The packaging made these products look like regular, well-known candies and snacks,” the department added. “It is clear that these items were intentionally designed to mimic popular treats which any child would enjoy eating.”
With small amounts of adult use marijuana legalized in 24 states (including Michigan, per the National Association of State Legislatures), various edible products that contain THC have become increasingly popular. THC, also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive component of marijuana, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“We thought to ourselves, ‘Wow, if a group of trained investigators looked at this and didn’t pay any attention, what’s your average kid gonna do on Halloween?’” Lt. John Gajewski, public information officer for the Warren Police Department, told ABC News. “And we just felt we wanted to get this message out there to parents and children to be vigilant this Halloween season.”
Here are some safety tips from the department:
· Inspect all candy and treats before allowing children to consume them
· Discard any unwrapped, loose, or homemade items from unknown sources
· Check for unusual packaging, odors, or discoloration
· Remind children not to eat any treats until they return home and have them checked
· Contact authorities if suspicious items are found
In addition to authorities in Michigan, the Oklahoma Poison Center also warned families about risks associated with marijuana edibles, nicotine products and medications packaged similar to candy in a recent press release. It said that from the start of the year through July 31 it had already seen 125 calls involving children under the age of 5 who ingested marijuana.
“Of those, 45 children experienced moderate or major medical outcomes and 54 required hospital admission,” the center said.
Since 2021, the New Mexico Poison & Drug Information Center has managed over 1,000 exposures to cannabis (flowering plants that contain hemp and marijuana) products, according to director Joseph Lambson. He said around 50% of those cases were related to edible cannabis products. Furthermore, around 50% of the cases involving edibles also involved children under the age of 12 and 86% of those children needed a trip to the hospital.
“When a child sees a full chocolate bar that’s actually an edible cannabis product, it can be hard for them to distinguish that,” Lambson explained.
“So, they may eat what seems like a normal amount of chocolate, but it ends up being an extremely high amount of active THC,” and even a small amount can make a child sick.
Laura Kelley, media relations professional in the University of Colorado Anschutz Office of Communications, also said that “we’ve seen more cases of kids accidentally ingesting THC, often from edibles left unsecured at home,” and that “these can cause serious symptoms including coma.” However, Kelly noted that she hasn’t “seen a case of cannabis-infused candy being handed out while trick-or-treating.”
More often, children are accidentally exposed to the products at home, she said.
Last year, KTTC reported that three students at a charter school in the College Station, Texas, area accidentally ate THC candy in a package that looks similar to Sour Patch Kids that thought it was normal Halloween candy. According to the report, one of the students brought it in, and both the student and their family were not aware that the product contained THC. A school nurse eventually figured it out.
“School officials said the student’s parents were giving rides to high schoolers the night before to a Halloween event and the candy in question was unknowingly left behind in their vehicle,” KTTC said.
UVA Health has also said that the higher price tag for marijuana edibles compared to run-of-the-mill Halloween candy typically prevents people from giving it away deliberately. Parents or family of children who might have these edible marijuana products should make sure to keep them in a safe and secure place, especially amidst the candy chaos of Halloween. Audacy has also reported on other dangerous to look out for this Halloween, including hard-to-see young pedestrians and pumpkin carving mishaps.