Hallo-weed Warning: States Caution Against THC-Laced Candy To Kids

Every year, states issue Halloween warnings advising parents to inspect their children’s candy before letting them eat it. This year, the warning comes with a twist.

Attorneys general in Ohio, New York, Illinois, Connecticut and Arkansas all released statements advising parents to double-check their children’s trick-or-treat bags for marijuana edibles that can easily pass as regular candies.

The look-alike products can have upwards of 600 to 1,000 mg of THC and if a child were to eat an entire bag, they would be consuming 60-100 times the maximum legal adult serving, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement.

“The levels of THC in these fakes could have some real and devastating consequences for children," he said. "Parents need to be extra cautious, especially around Halloween, that these copycat products don't wind up in treat bags."

Many of these products are packaged the exact same way as many trick-or-treating staples. Marijuana edibles can be disguised as Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, Doritos and Sour Patch Kids. The packaging is the same but contains a THC warning at the bottom.

Some THC-laced snacks also change the packaging name to marijuana puns such as "Stoney Patch" and "Double Stuf Stoneo."

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive compound in marijuana that is known for making people high.

"Accidental cannabis overdoses by children are increasing nationwide, and these products will only make this worse," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a release.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since marijuana use has been legalized in some states, accidental marijuana poisonings in children have increased, sometimes requiring visits to the emergency room or hospitalization.

Parents can identify marijuana overdose in children by paying attention to symptoms like problems walking, sitting up, or difficulty breathing. If a child is suspected of having eaten a marijuana edible, states say to contact the local poison control center immediately.