(WXYZ) — Scam artists are giving a whole new meaning to trick or treat. With Halloween around the corner, police want you to take extra precautions to keep children safe.
Law enforcement agencies are asking parents to check every piece of candy their child receives. Be on the lookout for tampered treats or marijuana edibles inside packing that appeals to kids.
Marijuana edibles can easily be mistaken for regular candy. The bright & color packaging appeals to kids.
Roseville police busted a gas station for selling edibles that are lookalikes for Warheads and Gushers.
"Unless you're paying attention and you see the little emblem on their that says THC infused, contains marijuana. You're not going to know the difference," Roseville Police Chief Ryan Monroe said.
We asked parents what they thought after seeing the lookalike marijuana-infused products.
"I check all my kid's candy before I give them anything. That's just common sense. You just want to make sure everything you give your kids is safe," Corie Welton said.
"There are some adults out there that aren't doing what they should or are supposed to be doing. So I try my best that I take them somewhere where I feel safe and they're safe and comfortable," Jaine Oliver added.
The Michigan Poison Center said cases of kids eating edibles in the state are going up.
Between August 2019 and August 2020, the state saw about 130 cases.
But from August 2020 to August 2021, the state saw close to 200 cases.
It doesn't take much for a child to end up in the hospital after eating one or more of the marijuana candies.
Here are some tips to make sure your kids have a safe Halloween.
- Don't snack on any treats while trick-or-treating
- Throw away any opened candy
- Inspect candy for any signs of tampering
- Double-check the labels
Roseville police are also giving parents the option to have them swing by the station to have officers check out the candy to make sure it hasn't been tampered with.
