Drugs Masquerading As Candy: Ohio Officials Issue Warning

OHIO — Ohio has seen an influx of cannabis-heavy products masquerading as well-known candies, a particularly concerning development as Halloween approaches.

“The levels of THC in these fakes could have some real and devastating consequences for children,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost warned. “Parents need to be extra cautious, especially around Halloween, that these copycat products don’t wind up in treat bags.”

Some of the confiscated products found in Ohio were made to resemble Fruity Pebbles, Oreos, Cheetos, Sour Patch Kids, Doritos and Nerds.

Edible cannabis products are responsible for most overdoses among children in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security. Both southern and central Ohio have seen marked upticks in the number of children sickened by edibles, according to Yost's office.

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In 2020, for example,

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Central Ohio Poison Center noted 79 consults, up from 16 in 2019
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Drug and Poison Information Center recorded 79 cases of ingestion in 2020, up from 38 in 2019.

Notably, Ohio does not allow the use of recreational cannabis products. Medical cannabis is allowed, with adults able to consume a single-serving of 10 mg of THC, or a mult-serving package of 100 mg of THC.

Yost's office believes many of the disguised edibles contain significantly higher THC levels, in the range of 600 to 1,000 mg per serving. He warned that if a child ate an entire bag of these edibles, they could be consuming 60 to 100 times the legal serving limit for adults in Ohio.

"Symptoms of THC overdose include respiratory distress, loss of coordination, lethargy, and loss of consciousness. If your child is sick and you suspect he or she has eaten a food containing high amounts of THC, call the Central Ohio Poison Center Hotline at 1-800-222-1222," Yost's office said.

Anyone who encounters one of these products in Ohio can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's office online.