Pot Candy Threat Overblown?

Los Angeles Deputies say parents should be on the watch for candy, tainted by pot

L.A. County Narcotics Detectives say candy tainted by marijuana can look a lot like regular Halloween candy. It's being packaged in attractive ways, for legal sale, at least as far as the State is concerned.

And that's the problem.

 "This is potentially dangerous to any child that is ingesting this," says Sgt. Glenn Walsh of the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. "We have no idea how much THC this contains. We have no idea the potency."

But some advocates of medical marijuana distribution, like Allison Margolin, say the problem is being overstated. And she has a surprising rationale. Money.

"As we know, people donโ€™t give things away for free that are worthwhile to them," says Margolin.  "Chocolates, rice krispie treats, all these sorts of things, go for five to 15 dollars apiece."

And while most Americans don't mind passing out snack-sized Snickers and such, tossing in a few "reefer" bars, could send you to the poorhouse before it got you to prison. Or so goes Margolin's logic.

Some parents agree that the threat is being overblown.

"I donโ€™t understand why somebody would do that anyway," said Lee Barron

Still, even dispensary advocates like Margolin agree that parents should make sure their kids get safe candy.

Sherry Heasley, a grandparent who has a lot of Halloween experience, outlined her time-tested procedure.

"I check the candy very good," says Heasley. "If it's unwrapped or it looks like it's been tampered with in any way, we throw it out. First thing we do when we come  home is we throw it on the bed and we go through all the candy."

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