Attorneys General across the U.S. are warning parents to look out for cannabis edibles in their trick-or-treating baskets on Halloween.
Marijuana-laced snacks that resemble popular treats such as Sour Patch Kids, Nerds and others have become commonplace in recent years, especially as more states legalize and decriminalize pot.
Warnings have been issued by Attorneys General in New York, Connecticut and Ohio, among others.
These treats are expensive, though, leading many to doubt whether they are actually being distributed to children.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who warned of the edibles being given to kids earlier this week, told reporters he had never actually heard of an example of a child receiving one of these copycat treats on Halloween.
Attorneys General across the country are warning parents that cannabis edibles packaged to look like popular treats could appear in their child's Halloween basket. Pictured: Edibles packaged to resemble Sour Patch Kids, Oreos, Cheetos, Nerds, Fruity Pebbles and Doritos
Pictured: Edibles packaged to look like 3 Musketeers, Twix, Milky Way, Reese's, Kit Kat, York Patties, Oreos, Butterfingers and Crunch bars
'The levels of THC in these fakes could have some real and devastating consequences for children,' Yost said in a statement.
'Parents need to be extra cautious, especially around Halloween, that these copycat products don't wind up in treat bags.'
The Attorney General's office reports that there was a 108 percent increase in calls to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Drug and Poison Information Center in 2020 due to cannabis ingestion by children when compared to 2019.
Nationwide Children's Hospital Central Ohio Poison Center also reported a 394 percent increase last year, the office says.
'Individuals and companies responsible for putting these illegal edibles within the reach of children should reconsider how they choose to make profits,' the statement reads.
'Also, sellers should know they may be subject to legal action and substantial civil penalties.'
The edibles are often placed in packages resembling popular candy, with slightly altered names and graphics.
They are laced with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a chemical in marijuana that has psychoactive ingredients and could cause hallucinations in some people.
Cannabis infused products packaged to look like popular treats could be dangerous to an unsuspecting child.
