Ace Food Desk – A recent incident at a Buffalo public school has raised alarms about the food safety risks posed by edible marijuana products that resemble common candies, particularly for children.
On April 1, a teacher at the William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence inadvertently gave two students gummies laced with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), mistaking them for regular Sour Patch Kids candy, according to a Buffalo police report obtained by WKBW, an ABC affiliate in Buffalo, NY.
The episode underscores broader concerns about THC-infused products packaged to mimic popular snacks, which experts say pose significant health and safety hazards.
The teacher, whose name has not been released, offered the gummies to students during a swim class, unaware they contained 500 milligrams of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, police said.
One student, 11-year-old JaiAire Richardson, told WKBW, “I was like, the scaredest kid in the world. And like, I didn’t want to, like, take anything from no one again.”
After one student reported feeling sick, both were taken to a hospital for evaluation. Their parents and Buffalo Police were notified immediately.
Buffalo Public Schools placed the teacher on paid administrative leave the same day, stating, “The district is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its students. Please be advised that this was an isolated incident.”
The district also reminded students that they may only eat snacks during lunch and are not permitted to share, citing health and safety reasons.
Packaging confusion is a growing concern
The gummies’ packaging, nearly identical to Sour Patch Kids candy except for a small label noting the THC content, highlights a growing food safety issue: edibles designed to look like familiar candles. The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly warned about such products.
In a July 2024 statement, Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, “Companies that market and sell edible THC products that are easily mistaken for snacks and candy are not only acting illegally, but they are also putting the health of young children at risk.”
The FDA reported more than 300 adverse event reports involving delta-8 THC products from January 2021 to December 2023, with nearly half requiring hospitalization or emergency visits.
About two-thirds of these cases involved edibles like gummies or brownies, with symptoms including hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Namandjé Bumpus, Ph.D., noted in 2024, “Inadequate or confusing labeling can result in children or unsuspecting adults consuming products with strong resemblance to popular snacks and candies that contain delta-8 THC without realizing it.”
Regulators crack down on lookalike edibles
New York, which legalised recreational marijuana in 2021 for adults 21 and older, has seen a rise in such incidents. The Upstate New York Poison Centre reported nearly 200 children younger than 6 visited emergency rooms in 2024 after ingesting or being exposed to cannabis products.
Similar incidents have occurred nationwide, such as in Mississippi, where six students were hospitalized in late March after consuming edibles at school.
The FDA and Federal Trade Commission have targeted companies selling these copycat products. In July 2024, they issued warnings to five companies — Hippy Mood, Earthly Hemps, Shamrockshrooms.com, Mary Janes Bakery Co. LLC, and Life Leaf Medical CBD Centre — for selling delta-8 THC edibles mimicking brands like Doritos, Cheetos, and gummy bears. These actions follow earlier warnings in 2023 to six other companies, which subsequently ceased selling such products.
Food safety experts emphasise the risks of unregulated or poorly labelled edibles. The FDA has raised concerns about impurities or inconsistent THC synthesis, which can lead to unpredictable effects. While New York requires testing for licensed cannabis products, illicit markets often evade such oversight, increasing the risk of contamination or mislabeling.
JaiAire’s mother, Tia Leak, expressed frustration to WKBW: “We look for our children to be protected going to school. You know, not something like this to happen is so sad, and we don’t want it to happen to no other kids.”
The Buffalo incident has prompted renewed calls for stricter regulations on edibles packaging and better education about their dangers.
As schools and regulators grapple with these challenges, the FDA urges consumers to report adverse reactions via MedWatch or the Safety Reporting Portal and to call poison control at 800-222-1222 if a child consumes such products.
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