THC Edibles Resemble Kids Snacks

As more states join California in the legalization of marijuana, the variety of edibles available is also growing. Common snacks like gummy bears, chocolate, and even chips are being copied by drug manufacturers, and it’s hard to distinguish one from the other.  In 2021 the FDA issued a warning that “these products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use in any context.”¹

What are THC Edibles?

THC is a compound found in the cannabis plant (also commonly referred to as marijuana, pot, weed, etc…) that causes mind-altering effects.² This psychoactive drug can enter your lungs through smoke or mixed in with food and eaten. When mixed into food, it is often referred to as an edible.³

Circulating the market today is a wide variety of THC products that look exactly like their popular non-TCH-infused counterparts. Manufacturers of cannabis products have copied classic snacks like Gushers, Doritos, Nerds, Peach Rings, Sour Patch Kids, Cheetos, and chocolate bars. ⁴

“These products look dangerously like the real candy,” says Dr. Kavita Patel, Medical Contributor at NBC. The Nacho Cheese Dorito edibles look almost identical to the real thing, except for a few small labels at the bottom of the packaging. For children, these products can look just as appealing as their non-cannabis counterparts.^4,5

What to do if a Kid Eats THC Candy

Dr. Ompad, a Professor of Epidemiology at New York University, has been researching the emerging trend of copycat/lookalike cannabis edibles. She has found that in addition to lookalike edibles only subtly indicating they have THC, the THC content is quite high.⁶

In fact, there were multiple products researched that had multiple 10mg THC doses (a common recreational dose) in what was suggested to be 1 serving. A small 1-ounce bag of copycat THC Nacho Cheese Doritos contains 600mg THC, a dose that is “poisonous for both children and adults when an entire bad is consumed.” ⁷

If a child has ingested edibles, common symptoms can include⁷:

• Dizziness and vomiting.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Drowsiness
• Difficulty walking.
• Confusion.

Severe cases can lead to hallucinations. If you suspect your child has consumed cannabis (whether or not they have started showing symptoms) contact poison control immediately. If your child is unresponsive, call 911 immediately.⁷ Even though Marijuana is legal in California, it still can be an addictive drug.

Marijuana addiction, also referred to as marijuana use disorder, is when a person uses marijuana despite it causing severe negative health and social problems.⁸

Laguna Treatment Hospital located in Orange County, CA offers personalized addiction treatment for drug & alcohol addiction. Levels of care at Laguna include:

• Medical detox.
• Inpatient residential treatment.
• Continued recovery and rehab aftercare planning.

For more information on how to start the admissions process, reach out to Laguna’s admissions navigators available 24/7 at .