Health Canada Issues Advisory After Copy Cat Edible Cannabis Products Continue to Cause Serious Harm to Children

Health Canada is advising Canadians to buy only legal cannabis products after several children have been hospitalized due to consumption of cannabis products that are illegal and unregulated.

Health Canada says illegal edible cannabis products are packaged to look like popular brands of candies, snacks or other food products.

Children might consume these look-a-like products that can contain high amounts of THC causing cannabis poisoning.

Health Canada also released examples of products with copy-cat packaging: 

Stoneo
packaged to look like Oreo Cookies, and offered in several flavours

Cheetos products
packaged to look like Cheetos, offered in several varieties

Nerds Rope
packaged to look like Nerds Rope

Froot Loopz
packaged to look like Froot Loops

(Medicated Sour) Skittles
packaged to look like Skittles

(Sours Medicated) Starburst Gummies  or Cannaburst Gummies Sours
packaged to look like Starburst

Ruffles, Doritos, Fritos
packaged to look like Ruffles, Doritos and Fritos

(Medicated) Jolly Rancher Gummies Sours
packaged to look like Jolly Ranchers

Stoney Patch
packaged to look like Sour Patch Kids

 

Airheads Xtremes
packaged to look like Airheads

(Herbivores Edibles) Twonkie
packaged to look like Twinkies

Fruit Gushers
packaged to look like Fruit Gushers

MaryJanerds products including:

Sour Watermelon
Sour Patch Kids
Sour Cherry Blasters
Fuzzy Peach
packaged to look like Maynard candy brands

What to do in case of poisoning:

Accidentally consuming can lead to cannabis poisoning. Though not fatal, cannabis poisoning can cause serious harm. If you suspect someone of having a serious medical emergency related to a cannabis product, call 911, or contact your regional poison center.

Signs of ingested cannabis in children include:

• chest pain
• rapid heartbeat
• nausea
• vomiting
• psychotic episode
• slowed and ineffective breathing (respiratory depression)
• severe anxiety
• panic attack
• agitation
• confusion
• slurred speech
• unsteadiness on feet
• drowsiness/lethargy
• muscle weakness
• loss of consciousness

What You Should Do:

Legal cannabis products are packaged in plain packaging and come with a Health Warning Message in a yellow box, the red cannabis symbol, an excise stamp, and is packaged in child-resistant packaging to prevent children from being able to open the product.

Health Canada is reminding Canadians to purchase cannabis products from provincially and territorially authorized online retailers or authorized retail stores and to store edible cannabis securely in a locked drawer or box, and separate from regular food or drinks especially when it is removed from its original packaging.