Alameda Police: Child ingested THC-infused candy from Halloween event

ALAMEDA – Police in Alameda issued a warning to parents as they investigate reports of a child ingesting candy infused with THC from a recent Halloween event.

Officers said in a statement Monday that the child received the candy at a local trick-or-treating event that took place over the weekend. After eating the candy, the child became ill and sought immediate medical attention.

In a separate statement, Susan Davis of the Alameda Unified School District confirmed that a student received the candy, a cannabis-infused fruit chew, at a “trunk or treat” event hosted by the Earhart Elementary School on Sunday.

According to Davis, the child said they didn’t feel well and the parent found the wrapper in the child’s bag. The parent notified the school’s principal, who in turn notified the district office and leadership team.

All families at the school were told to check their candy, which resulted in three other families confirming they found THC-infused candies in their children’s candy bags, Davis said.

The candy was donated by families at Earhart, Davis said, and that they are working with police to investigate where the candy came from.

The child has since recovered, the district said.

Police said Monday that many THC-infused candies can closely resemble popular-name-brand sweets. 

“This incident highlights a concern regarding the safety of our community during holiday celebrations such as Halloween,” the department said in a statement.

With Halloween a day away, police offered several tips to parents and trick-or-treaters. Parents are urged to check their child’s candy for unusual packaging, labeling, closely resembling known brands or appear to be tampered with.

Police urge parents to speak with their children about the importance of not consuming candies that are not in their original, sealed packaging and to err on the side of caution.

Parents are urged to report suspicious candy with Alameda police.