Halloween is a really big deal in the USA. But as well as ghouls and goblins, the event is also giving rise to the spectre of cannabis candy.
Officials in a number of U.S. states have advised parents to be aware of illegal cannabis goods in packaging similar to popular brands of snack foods and candy items.
Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost issued a press release warning of what he considers as a potential threat.
“In the first half of 2021 alone, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported hotlines received 2,622 calls for services related to young children ingesting cannabis products,” he tweeted.
Often these incidents aren’t kids being given such products, but accessing edibles that have not been properly secured by their parents or visitors to the home.
And is this really an issue for trick-or-treat? Some say there’s been no evidence of such candies winding up in kids’ bags of goodies. Back in 2019, NORML stated:
“Given the average cost of a one dose edible can range from around ten to twenty five dollars it would not only be idiotic and wrong, it would also be incredibly expensive.”
Countering some of the feedback, the AG pointed out:
“If this is the year that this trend hits Ohio trick-or-treat—and we’d said nothing—the question from the media would be why we ignored a national trend.”
.. and he has a point.
But parents should be checking what their kids receive regardless of this cannabis candy threat/non-threat. If any good comes of this situation, perhaps it will also raise awareness of the importance in keeping ingestible cannabis products out of reach of children.
AG Yost wasn’t the only Attorney General to issue a warning, several others have as well.
Myth or not and the illegal nature of these goods specifically aside, it also brings into focus the question of the presentation of marijuana and CBD items; particularly in the medicinal space. In terms of the latter, just how tasty and attractively packaged does a medicine need to be, given these aspects do nothing to enhance any therapeutic benefits? Sure, these products shouldn’t taste or look awful, but perhaps a middle ground needs to be found.
