For Trick-Or-Treaters' Sake, Keep Marijuana Edibles Away From Halloween Candy

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Halloween could be a real scream if your princess or goblin eats the wrong thing, especially pot candy.

"Why would somebody do that?" said Evelyn Jones of Sacramento.

Parents horrified to hear health officials' warning to check for marijuana edibles packaged as kids candy.

"If somebody is giving them away I'd hope they'd differentiate between what's kid-friendly and what's not," she said.

It's not just on Halloween.

"We have seen more children accidentally being exposed to marijuana," said Justin Lewis with the California State Poison Control System. "There's been case reports with small children who have been in a coma for a period of time and with support of care they've recovered perfectly, but it's still a lot of resources, the child has to go to the hospital, and there are a lot of specialists involved."

Between gummy bears and chocolates, the candies may look alike but could cause severe effects in children.

Plus, the concentration of the drug is much different than even smoking marijuana.

"You're blowing a majority of it out, but when you eat it you absorb it 100 percent," he said.

Last year gummy candies sickened 19 people at a quinceanera party in San Francisco. Officials don't know how the rings ended up there.

"It's not a joke, that people can get hurt, it is serious, and unfortunately a lot of teenagers don't understand that until it happens either to them or closer to them, but it's a very big wake up call, and I just urge parents to talk to their kids," said Briessa of San Diego.

A new bill was introduced which wouldn't allow marijuana manufacturers to make edibles look like actual kids candies.
That was vetoed earlier this month.