In US, 6-year-old boy hospitalised after mistakenly consuming cannabis candy

A 6-year-old boy in the US’s North Carolina was hospitalised after consuming candy containing Delta-9 THC, a psychoactive substance found in cannabis.

The child’s mother had unwittingly purchased the THC-laced product from the Common Market, mistaking it for freeze-dried Skittles, according to a report by the New York Post.

The family was enjoying a day out when they stopped for lunch at the establishment, which operates as a convenience store, deli, and bar. The boy, excited about trying what he believed were Skittles, convinced his mother to buy the candy.

After consuming around 40 pieces of the candy, the boy began experiencing unusual symptoms, including a burning sensation in his pelvic area, a freezing chest, headaches, and stomach pain, the report said.

According to the New York Post, initially, his mother thought he might need to use the restroom, but concern grew when he complained about the taste of water, which she associated with possible poisoning.

Upon closer inspection of the candy’s packaging, the family realised it contained Delta-9 THC, with three pieces being the recommended serving size for an adult. The boy had ingested roughly 13 times that amount.

Following this discovery, the boy’s mother called 911, and her son was taken to the hospital where he underwent a 17-hour sleep to recover from the effects of the overdose.