Watch Out, Look-A-Like Candies Can Get Kids Dangerously High

We are all super-excited for scary-month and of course Halloween. However, there is a concerning issue that surfaced last year and is expected to be a problem again. I want to remind you to carefully inspect your kids’ candy because things aren’t always as they seem. If you don’t, your kid could end up with more than a sugar high.

With marijuana

now being legal, police are alerting parents to the possibility of cannabis candies ending up in your kids' trick-or-teat pillowcases. I know that pot candy is way more expensive than the normal stuff and most decent people would either never think it is funny to spike a kids’ candy supply or they are not interested in the expense. However, there are sickos out there that used to put razor blades in our Mary Janes so let’s not act like we don’t have to be careful.

Unfortunately, marijuana snacks and candies often look a lot like the regular brands we all know and love which can make things confusing. I'm not sure why this is allowed but it really is easy to miss if they are tossed in with the other stuff. The levels of THC in these treats could have some serious consequences for kids. Poison control centers nationwide have noted that there has been an increase in THC poisoning in children. Hospitals have seen a 108% increase in the issue.

A single serving of an edible cannabis candy usually contains about 10 mg of THC but some snacks can be as high as 600-1,000 mg of THC. If a child were to eat an entire snack at those levels that would be 100 times the maximum legal adult dosage!

Edibles are 120 times the potency of a single adult serving when eaten by a child.

The Department of Homeland Security says that the most common overdoses for kids across the country are due to cannabis foods. This problem is becoming more and more widespread due to the new and innovative ways we can consume it. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported hotlines getting almost 3,000 calls about children eating cannabis products in 2021. Just keep a close eye on those wrappers! Read more about it here.

In case you want to skip the candy altogether and make your sweet treats, here are some spooky and sweet Halloween recipes!