Detroit cops warn parents to check Halloween candy after discovering batch laced with THC and mushrooms
Police in suburban Detroit have warned parents to watch out for dodgy Halloween treats after discovering THC and magic mushroom products made to look like ordinary candy and chip packets.
Detectives searching a house in Warren, Michigan Thursday were surprised to find psychoactive drugs in similar packaging to popular snacks such as Jolly Ranchers, Airheads, Lay’s chips, Doritos, and Nerds, according to the Warren Police Department.
“The packaging made these products look like regular, well-known candies and snacks. It is clear that these items were intentionally designed to mimic popular treats which any child would enjoy eating,” a police spokesperson told local broadcaster WILX 10.
In fact, photos released by police showed that most of the packages had some kind of warning on them, such as”600mg THC PER PACK”, “medicated”, or “KEEP AWAY FROM KIDS… ADULTS 21+.”
Officials did not say whether anyone was charged over the packages and gave no evidence that they were actually intended to be handed out to children.
Stories of poisoned trick-or-treat candy often circulate at Halloween, but actual cases are very rare. Criminology professor Joel Best has argued that they are merely an “urban legend” with no basis in fact, endlessly revived by small town police departments, worried parents, media reports, and sometimes even federal law enforcement agencies.
After all, it’s not clear what drug dealers would stand to gain from handing out potentially lethal amounts of narcotics, at no cost, to people with no disposable income of their own to spend on further hits.
Recreational cannabis and THC are legal in Michigan, although psilocybin — the hallucinogenic chemical found in magic mushrooms — is not.
Police commissioner Eric Hawkins said: “We’re grateful to have removed these items before they could fall into the hands of children.
“This serves as an important reminder for families to carefully inspect all Halloween treats and to prioritize safety this season.”
Police warned residents to check every piece of candy before eating it, throw away anything that was not pre-wrapped, and ask their children not to eat any candy until it’s been checked by an adult.
The Warren Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
