Utah police authorities are now currently investigating the case of THC-infused candies that were distributed form Utah Food Bank last Friday.
This is after two children were hospitalized after ingesting the subtance from Nerds Rope that came along with the food packs that were being distributed. At least five more children are being currently observed and monitored after reports that they also ate the same candy.
According to KUTV, the children who were hospitalized were 11 and five years old. The five-year-old's father told the news outlet that it was the girl's grandmother who picked up the food and the young girl ate the substance-infused candy at home.
What is THC?
THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the main psychoactive substance in marijuana, it is responsible for most of the psychological effects of smoking pot. It is responsible for the "high sensation" that people get when ingesting the substance.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, TCH stimulates the brain to release dopamine thus creating euphoria. Furthermore, the substance also interferes with how the hippocampus, the part of the brain which is responsible for forming new memories, processes information.
THC intake can induce hallucinations, cause delusions and change the thinking process of a person. Once the perceived high comes down, a person may also experience psychomotor impairment.
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How the children got the pot-infused candies
Last Friday, the Utah Food Bank gave out 63 food bags at the First Baptist for 63 families. According to the local police, it is believed that each food pack contained 3 to 4 packages of the Medicated Nerds Ropes.
The police also claimed that the candy in the food packs that were distributed was still in the original packaging and the label included a warning label and dosage information of THC.
Based on the label, the candy contains 400mg of THC. Authorities say that the dosage is 40 times the normal dosage that an adult who uses marijuana regularly intakes. They further added that the packaging even encourages people to "Tear and Share" the pot-infused candies.
Where did the cannabis treats come from?
At the moment, the food bank is conducting an ongoing investigation of how cannabis treats ended up among the donations.
According to the president of the food bank, Ginette Bott everyone involved in the incident was mortified of what happened. She also stated that the donations that they receive and distribute come from different sources and they are already working on tracking down how the nerds were accepted with the other donations.
Moreover, Bott said that they are using their inventory information system to reach out to the carriers and track the specific location where the candies came from. She also warned that the source may be facing charges, saying that at that a product such as the TCH-infused candies come into the food chain is a criminal offense.
Authorities are currently attempting to get in contact with families who have collected food from the locations, they also said that almost half of the department's staff are already working to track down the families.
The food bank also advised anyone who have receved and ingested the Nerds to immediately come into contact with the Roy police at (801) 629-8221 so that the auhtorities can retrieve the candies.
The remaining packs of candies that were not yet distributed have already been removed from the food packs.
