The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a warning about the dangers of jelly sweets containing cannabis ahead of this year’s Halloween. Cannabis edibles are products such as jelly sweets containing the psychoactive cannabis component known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
During the Halloween celebrations there is a possible risk that children can unknowingly consume these products by mistaking them for normal jelly sweets. The package of both resembles much and such incidents had been reported in the country on a number of occasions.
In 2021 alone, six children under the age of ten have been hospitalised after accidentally consuming THC-containing products that looked like normal jelly sweets.
“We know adults and/or teenagers are ordering these illegal products from online or other illegal sources for their own personal use.” Said Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI.
“However, they often have no understanding of the real health dangers of these products and are careless or reckless in putting young children’s health at risk by allowing them access to these products,” she added.
There are also doubts that these cannabis products are being sold near schools by drug gangs. It is also advised that parents should regularly monitor their children about the use of such products.
The FSAI notes that children are not aware of the dangers of cannabis edibles and if they come across a bag of jellies, they will often eat more than one and as a result overdosing is a very likely outcome. Some of the children used the product had suffered seizures and unconsciousness.
The cannabis component THC is a controlled substance in Ireland with a zero tolerance under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977. When found in food products, THC is considered a contaminant, with no permitted threshold in EU or Irish food law.