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Doctors see uptick in sickness from THC-laced candy ahead of Halloween

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Published  October 29, 2024 10:44pm EDT
Holidays
FOX 13 News

THC candy warning ahead of Halloween

Haley Hinds reports

BRANDON, Fla. - All the ghouls and goblins will be out in full force this week searching for the best candy, but there’s a different kind of trick lurking in the night. There are growing concerns about THC-laced candy mixing in with your normal treats. 

On Thursday, children all around the Tampa Bay area will go searching out for the best candies in the neighborhood. However, doctors worry it may mean an uptick in emergency room visits. 

Doctor Michael Haynes with HCA Florida Brandon said he has treated patients as young as three in these types of cases.

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"They mixed up candy, thinking it was old Halloween candy, but it was actually edible marijuana and ingested a very large amount," he said. 

He explained in 2021, there were nearly 600 cases of kids sickened by THC-laced candy across the state. In the first six months of this year, they’ve nearly surpassed that. 

"They are very colorful, they are kid friendly, which is worrisome for us," Haynes said.

The packaging is eerily similar to that of normal candy. What’s called "fruitti rocks" looks like Trix. 

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"It’s really difficult for adults to know what they are, much less a child," Ellen Snelling, the board chair of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, explained. "If they see a brightly colored package that’s fruit flavored, they will tear it open and eat the whole thing."

She said parents just need to be more aware, especially this time of year. 

"There’s so many parties and candies going around. It could accidentally go into your child’s Halloween candy."

And while it’s rare, she added, even one is too much. She said the mix-up could mean a hospital stay. 

"They start seeing hallucinations and have seizures and end up in the hospital on a ventilator and people aren’t aware of that," Snelling said. 

Some signs of sickness in children include slower breathing, an altered mental state and nausea. If you believe your child got hold of something, head to a doctor immediately. 

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