Letter from Public Health Agency about cannabis oil disguised as confectionary
Dear parents and carers,
All schools in Northern Ireland have received a warning from the Public Health Agency that they are aware of products that look like familiar sweet products with colourful packets, familiar cartoon images and which are appealing to children, but that in fact contain cannabis extract, or THC (the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis).
A young child assessed in hospital had inadvertently consumed cannabis after finding what they believed to be a packet of sweets on the ground. While on closer inspection the sweet packet is labelled as containing THC, to all other purposes they look like a common brand of sweets which are marketed for children.
The effects of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) involves the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. In adults the effects are generally mild and short-lived but ingestion rather than inhalation is associated with longer lasting effects. As children often have a smaller body mass than adults the effects may be more profound and can include:
- Loss of coordination
- Hallucinations
- Nausea/vomiting
- Lethargy, collapse or loss of consciousness
- Cardiovascular
There have been a few seizures of similar products (see images below for examples) -labelled ‘Medicated Nerds Ropes, 400 mg THC per rope’ and ‘Medicated Nerdz Rope Bites, 600 mg THC’. Analysis has confirmed the presence of THC. The sweet edibles are available in a variety of flavours, and sold in branded packaging-SXEDIBLES. Other branded packaging from SXEDIBLES, ‘millionz bites, 600 mg THC’-also confirmed to contain THC, with the product available in multiple flavours. Other products have names which often have a slight variation of a familiar sweet product e.g. have received ‘Harribo Fruitilicious’-wrapped jelly like sweets or Calibo Xtra Strong’.
I have been asked to make parents aware of this information and send photographs of the seized products. If you have any further information relating to these incidents or similar circumstances please contact the PSNI and forward any information to [email protected].
Yours sincerely,
Mrs K Taylor