Marijuana has never posed a real threat on Halloween, despite annual warnings

Every Halloween, there are always warnings putting parents on high alert that candy could possibly be tainted with cannabis. Despite multiple warnings from attorney generals across the country, there were no confirmed reports of children receiving marijuana edibles while trick-or-treating. It is no secret that companies that manufacture THC edibles use branding that is nearly identical to non-marijuana induced products. For example, there are Stoney Patch Kids and Double Stuff Stoneos. There are also Doritos and Cheetos Puffs that are packaged nearly the same, despite a THC marking on the bottom of the bag. 

New York Attorney General Letita James warned parents in the state of the “deceptively designed” marijuana products that look like “standard snack foods and candy.” According to her press release, there were 2,622 reported incidents where children “accidentally” ate their parents’ edibles. With marijuana legalization in the state, James warned parents about “weed that can kill you.” 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost was guilty of repeating the traditional Halloween fallacy, warning that parents need to be “extra cautious, especially around Halloween,” to assure that products with THC do not make it into childrens’ treat bags. Yost admitted to reporters that there are no reported cases in the state of this happening in the past. 

Attorney General Rob Bonto of California also issued a public service announcement on the Thursday before the holiday, noting that THC products with misleading branding contain higher levels of THC than are permitted by the state, thus presenting a “risk to public health and safety.” He didn’t go as far to suggest that these products could be deadly.

Marijuana advocates have long disputed these warnings, noting that nobody is giving away free edibles to children, which remains a fact to this day. Some experts have suggested that these warnings did nothing but “hurt their own public image,” as marijuana legalization continues to gain popularity. While their may not be THC-infused products in your childrens’ treat bags, parents should always check to make sure nothing else has made it into the mix.