Health experts warn of laced candy this Halloween

Parents must keep an eye out for unrapped candy - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Children can return to the streets this Halloween to participate in trick or treating, however health experts warn Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be found in the candy bags of children.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the number of children under 12 who have ingested edibles at home went from 132 in 2016, to almost 2,500 in 2020.

Venus Nguyen is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Vo Medical Center and works at the urgent care in Calexico. She says she is seeing more cases of this in kids.

Nguyen says that parents should be especially on alert this Halloween.

"It is very exciting for everyone that we can resume Halloween; so, I do not want to spoil that fun. So, my advice for parents is when your kids collect the candies, inspect them, make sure that you read the labels on all candies that are wrapped," she advised.

Nguyen says parents should immediately toss out any candies that looked tampered with or unwrapped.

"Children can have adverse effects if they eat candies or edibles that contain high amounts of THC... and that's not good for kids," she said.

Nguyen says that seizures, heart palpitations, vomiting are all major symptoms that require immediate medical attention.