Police in London have warned parents of the dangers of their children eating illegal ‘cannabis infused’ sweets.
Richmond-Upon-Thames and Kingston Police say they know many parents will be concerned after four children in Surrey recently fell ill from eating such sweets earlier this month.
The four, aged 12 and 13, vomited and fell in and out of consciousness after consuming the sweets which contain chemicals such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis which causes users to get high and is a controlled substance.
The children were taken to hospital but discharged later the same day.
A post on Facebook from Richmond-Upon-Thames and Kingston Police said: “The sweet versions are widely available on the internet and via social media and the packaging is often bright and colourful.
“They can be easily mistaken for normal sweets.
“Despite the professional appearance, there is no quality control in place for these products as they remain illegal, and so the contents cannot be monitored for harmful substances.”
The picture contained a picture of two products which claim to be ‘cannabis infused’. They are sold in the form of jelly sweets, gummies and lollipops.
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The police added: “They take an amount of time to have a significant effect. Many more than necessary may be ingested before a user sees an effect.
“If you are made aware of any social media accounts advertising these items, or a young person you know is taking these, you can report this information to the police, your child’s school or Crimestoppers.”
If you are concerned about a person you know and drug usage, talk to FRANK is a Public Health England website and helpline that offers honest advice about drugs. You can visit their website at https://www.talktofrank.com or call them on 0300 1236600.
In a medical emergency call 999.
